


cloudburst

by fiveofswords



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Horror, Human AU, M/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-09 13:43:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20995751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveofswords/pseuds/fiveofswords
Summary: When Gavin Reed agrees to drive his cousin Elijah Kamski to the Manfred Manor there’s no way for him to foresee the strange night that awaits them.A mystery/ghost story, vaguest 50′s setting, human AU.Not focused on ships, but there’s some Gavin/Leo and a bit of Markus/Simon. Main povs are Gavin, Tina and Leo





	1. Chapter 1

“You have to come with me” Elijah Kamski said into the phone

“Why the fuck would I?” his cousin growled, never shy to show his annoyance and aggravation

“To do me a favor”

Skeptical silence was all that was heard on the other side of the line

“Come on, Gavin!” Elijah insisted “There will be good food and expensive booze, you can bring a plus one…” he added uselessly

“Can’t your girl go with you?”

“We have talked about this,” Elijah almost huffed “Chloe is not my girl, and she’s been at her sisters’ for the past month, as she should after what happened with her mother, any news on that by the way”

“If there were I couldn’t tell you,” Gavin barked “but no…”

Elijah huffed in frustration, not that he was expecting a different answer, was it too early to expect results from the police? Or was the case going cold? Not something he could simply ask his cousin without ruffling his feathers, not ideal when he wanted a favor

“So,” Elijah continued “if she were feeling like making it she would have contacted me already, I don’t want to press her at a time like this, but I don’t feel like arriving by myself… or leaving the villa by myself either…” he said in a desperate attempt to use the truth as a hook

There was a defeated groan at the other side of the line; his cousin was not as though as he’d like everyone to think

“Phck!” Gavin said “Listen, I’m picking you up and dropping you off, and that’s it”

“Fair enough” Elijah replied

“Whatever, see you tomorrow” Gavin slammed down the receiver, just like Elijah to drag him into something bothersome like this with such short notice.

“Who are you seeing tomorrow?” Tina asked curiously, sitting at his kitchen table, one of his cats sat on her lap, advising her on their match of Gin Rummy

“Fucking Elijah wants me to be his chauffeur” He replied moodily, sitting opposite to her, picking up his cards again

“Where is the genius going?” she said drawing a card

“The Manfred Manor”

“That’s fancy!”

“Is it?” Gavin asked without any real interest, more focused on his cards than in the conversation

“They say the Manfred Manor is incredible” Tina said enthusiastically “Carl Manfred has collected all sort of amazing things”

“Didn’t think you’d be interested in knick knacks and curios”

“Everyone but you is interested in Carl Manfred’s curious” Tina chided “The man is a legend, he’s traveled all over the world, he’s been a recluse ever since his accident but of course your cousin gets an invitation!”

Gavin sighed “Do you want to come?”

“Yeah, sure” Tina said with a small laugh

“I’m serious, he said I could bring some other damn idiot”

Tina instantly brightened up “I’d love to be that damn idiot!”

“We start at 5,” Gavin said drily “I’m not dealing with the morning rush and it’s 2 hours just to reach his freaking bunker, who knows how much more to reach Manfred’s”

“Perfect,” Tina smiled “Gin!” she called out fanning her cards over the table and scratching the cat’s head

“Phck,”

They started on their way in the dark and cold of the very early morning; Tina soon fell asleep only waking up when the morning sun hit her uncomfortably right in the face, she sat upright in the passenger seat, ironing the fabric of her trousers with her hands, belatedly wondering if she should have put on a dress instead, but she only had the pink cotton she’d worn to her nephew’s christening; it wasn’t unflattering, her mother knew how to pick a dress that’d favor her daughter, but she didn’t recognize herself in it, it made her feel awkward and uncomfortable, things she usually wasn’t at all.

When they arrived to the Kamski Villa, it was everything Gavin said it would be, uncomfortably sterile and silent. Tina was glad they weren’t staying around, Gavin’s place could be messy, and hers could be noisy, but she always thought they felt comfortably lived in, places where she could relax and feel at home, either dancing by herself in her own apartment or reading in Gavin’s couch with two or three cats piled on her, card games on fridays; if she was being honest the Villa left an odd taste in her mouth she hoped wouldn’t carry on to the Manor. She was really looking forward to that.

As they came back outside with Elijah in tow, she rushed to take the back seat while the boys put Elijah’s luggage in the back, leaving the cousins in the front seemed adequate since Elijah would need to guide Gavin to their final destination, she relinquished her usual shotgun without complaint.

“Thank you for taking care of my cousin, Miss Chen” Elijah Kamski said to her once they were on the road

“It’s not an easy job!” she chirped

“I can’t imagine it would be” Elijah huffed.

Gavin growled

“And please, Tina is just fine” she added ignoring him

“Elijah” he said turning on his seat to give her a handshake

“I see your girl has been teaching you manners” Gavin mocked

“She’s not my girl” Elijah said “and yes… she has…”

“I bet that’s not an easy job either” Tina said

“Elijah is worse than me, that’s for sure”

“I hope not!“ Elijah said “That’s a horrid thought!”

The city gave way to the country side, the sight of houses became more and more rare until they found themselves driving with only the sight of trees at either side, all of them in the cozy copper and reds of autumn, although the strong wind and the grey clouds rolling in and looking almost like smoke from a fire forecasted a storm

“Why couldn’t that fucking geezer live in civilization” Gavin complained, not one to enjoy an atmospheric view

“Is it true that he doesn’t leave the Manor at all?” Tina asked

“I’m afraid so” Elijah said “He used to live in the city, he was quite social, I’m told he had many wild parties. The Manor was only meant as a summer house, but after his accident he holed up in it”

“Guess you can relate” Gavin huffed

“I sure can” Elijah replied completely unbothered. That he was a well known recluse did not bother him, he was a young man but his patents and inventions were making him more than enough money for him to give himself the luxury of not holding back on any of his misanthropic tendencies.

Elijah frowned, then opened his mouth as if to say something else but seemed to think better of it, not that Gavin would let him get away with it. Gavin looked at Tina through the rear view mirror, their routine taking over. He’d let her do the talking on crime scenes all the time, she was good at putting people at ease, and people at ease tended to talk.

“Is anything the matter?” Tina asked 

“I was just… thinking…” Elijah said with a light scowl “this invitation is slightly odd”

“How so?” Tina added

Elijah shook his head dismissing the idea and remained silent.

Tina and Gavin exchanged a look, they would let it go for now, they had good instincts cultivated by years of training and police work. They knew it was something worth pursuing later, but right now they wouldn’t get anything more.

“Oh! Look!” Tina said, pointing at a hitchhiker down the road, a welcome distraction “We should give him a ride, we are in the middle of nowhere, and those clouds look like the sky will start falling any second”

“I’m already the chauffer for one person, I’m not fucking taking anyone else anywhere!” Gavin spat, even pushing down on the accelerator, unwittingly splashing muddy ditch water on the hitchhiker (unwittingly because Tina always gave Gavin the benefit of the doubt, if she didn’t who on earth would)

“What the hell, fucktard?!” the hitchhiker shouted, if for nothing else than to relieve some of his frustration with the day… the week… the month… the year… his life in general… the first car he’d seen in hours drove away completely unconcerned, and now Leo was muddy and wet and cold…

“Shit!” he slung his rucksack over his shoulder in a careless, rough movement, only managing to unbalance himself, his foot twisted painfully and he fell

“Fucking dammit!” Leo scrambled up, now he was muddy and wet and cold and he’d probably sprained his fucking ankle.

He started walking, now with a newly acquired limp, excellent, but if he waited for another car it could take all day, and wouldn’t it be just like him to die freezing in the woods, or mauled by bears? Or whatever else could happen to you in the woods during a storm, Unknown Man Dead by Freak Lighting Strike (page 30). And hadn’t some people disappeared around here or something creepy like that only a few weeks back? Leo thought he’d heard something, a voice? A scream? Well you always heard all sort of weird noises coming from the woods, foxes were odd little shits always screaming like murder victims.

A cold shiver ran down his back at the thought, and he became aware of how alone he was. If he were to be ambushed and killed right here, right now, nobody would hear him. If he was buried right under that tree with the creepy face-like trunk nobody would even think of searching for him. Markus would only think he’d dismissed the invitation, and to tell the truth that had been Leo’s initial plan.

It seemed almost insulting, a letter from Markus (not even his dad) telling him his dad was planning to have this get together, the first since his accident “_I hope you’d like to join us, I’ve heard you are doing so much better now and –_“ Leo hadn’t read the rest before scrunching it and throwing it in the paper basket.

He’d dragged himself out of his addiction all by himself, he wasn’t doing “so much better”; he was only barely getting by and keeping away from trouble, he owed like 3 months’ rent because most of his money went to cover old, dangerous debts. He was hungry all the time, he could barely make his bills although his job as a clerk in a bookshop wasn’t all that bad, he was trying to write something as well, that was going alright.

The day before this get together farce he sensed he was about to be kicked out of his apartment, before that could happen he’d grabbed everything he could fit in his rucksack, anything important, told Mr. Doel at the bookshop he would be out of town for a week visiting his ailing father (none of this a lie) and he’d hitchhiked with some farmers as far as they could take him.

And now he was here, essentially because he had nowhere else to go, and there was always that idiotic sliver of himself, that truly stupid yearning buried deep inside him that told him, maybe, maybe his dad would like him better this once.

He’d been walking for a few minutes on his newly injured ankle when a pickup truck slowed down beside him. Leo eyed it suspiciously, an older man was at the wheel, a second one, only slightly older than Leo sat on the passenger seat. Leo smiled at them in relieved recognition.

“Where you going, son? Not getting up to trouble are you?” Lieutenant Anderson said, as his big saint bernard peeked outside the window, drooling all over the side of the car “Hell, Sumo! Let me talk to the kid!” he said placing his hand on the dog’s head softly

“Not this time… I hope” Leo replied with a sheepish smile “Do you know the Manfred Manor?” he asked “It’s okay if you aren’t going that far I’ll take what I can get”

“We are going past it, to the lake” Connor said

“Connor!” Hank chided in fond exasperation “He doesn’t need to know our life story”

“I think it’s only fair when he’s shared his destination with us, Hank”

“Fine, fine” Hank said, “If you are sure you wanna go there, hop right on the back, son. Too much dog in the front to fit another person”

“Thanks a lot!” Leo said with a smile, swinging his rucksack on to the cargo bed and then climbing in himself, awkwardly trying not to put much pressure on his bad ankle. He took his beanie off to feel the wind going through his hair, the clusters of trees, the crisp autumn chill and the wind that already smelled like water seemed much friendlier now that he had company and he was in a car, with the trees passing by in a blur not giving him time to imagine creepy faces in them.

“Look, Hank” Connor said after a few minutes, pointing at a car at the side of the road “I believe that’s Detective Reed”

“Just pretend you don’t see him, Connor!” Hank said gruffly “We are already late and I’m not stopping again”

“Are you sure, Hank? “

“He’ll be fine, look he aint alone, got Chen and some other twit with ‘im”

Gavin looked up to see the passing car, not soon enough to see it was Hank and Connor’s but just in time to see the hitchhiker in the back flipping him off.

“Fucking –“ Gavin said giving the middle finger back to the now empty road

“You sort of deserve it” Tina said, sitting sideways on the driver’s seat “I’m pretty sure that was Leo Manfred too” she smirked

“Yeah, right” Gavin glared at her, then directed his words to his cousin “So, can you do something about the engine or what?”

“I’m trying to concentrate” Elijah said drily as he tinkered under the hood “Cars are not my specialty but I’m sure I can figure it out”

Gavin left him to it, he knew plenty about motorcycles but not that much about cars, plus the fucking genius may leave it better than he found it, didn’t hurt having Elijah doing some actual work for once either.

“Try it” Elijah said, Tina complied turning the key in the ignition; the engine came alive with a loud roar that hid the faint, distant ghostly voices trying to tell them they should go back.


	2. Chapter 2

“There you go son” Hank said parking in front of the big gate to the Manfred Estate

“Thank you so much, really!” Leo took the few bills he had in his pocket “it’s not much but –”

Hank waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, “Don’t even think about it, you good?” he said raising an eyebrow “Long walk from the gate to the palace”

“Yeah, around 40 minutes” Leo said with a sheepish smile, belatedly realizing it hadn’t been a question

Connor turned to look at Hank. They stared at each other for several seconds, the silent argument of people that can communicate without words

“Hell, fine!” Hank accepted defeat “hop in again, kid” he said to Leo “We’ll take you to the door, won’t do you any good trying to walk on that bad ankle, you could get lost in there and Connor here would never let me live it down”

It was a long road to the Manor, something more akin to a serpentine pathway through the woods than a driveway, the tops of the rusty autumn trees hid the house until the very last moment, when it emerged out of the curve like some lurking ancient creature.

Another shiver went through Leo when he saw this big house he’d never laid eyes on. The times he’d visited his dad weren’t that numerous and they had always been in his city residence, never at the Manor. It seemed dark and intimidating with its ample wings and gothic details, but maybe Leo was letting his feelings color too much of the experience, he was often guilty of that.

There was a big stone dragon gnashing its fangs, resting on the ceiling, the shadows made it look as if it were breathing, his father had probably imported it from Europe where it must have guarded some old crumbling castle before Carl Manfred took it because he could, and now it looked quite ominous with the background of the dark grey sky. Leo felt like turning away, and maybe he would have done so if Markus and Simon hadn’t been already at the door.

“Leo!” Simon said walking towards him with a smile “It’s good to see you,”

“How have you been, Simon” Leo hugged his father’s assistant. Poor Simon had been head over heels for Markus for years, and his brother would not see it. When Leo had realized this, it was like coming out of a dark tunnel into the light; Markus was very, very stupid after all.

“Sumo!” Hank shouted as the big door jumped out of the car by the window, running in circles around the car, around all the guests almost taking Markus to the ground in the process. Hank and Connor came down from the truck

“Dammit, big dummy!” Hank said

“He only needs to stretch,” Connor apologized “it’s been a long ride and he’s a big dog,”

“It’s not a problem at all!” Leo said, “maybe we could get some water for him” he turned to look at Simon who after his father reigned over the house, his father wouldn’t be able to keep things going without him, too unconcern with the day to day and the menial tasks involved in keeping a household afloat

“I’ll bring him something” Simon nodded, walking away in search of a makeshift dog bowl.

An awkward silence descended on the scene, as it was always the case when Markus and Leo were left alone without Simon to buffer.

“So,” Leo said tentatively, “Where’s dad?” as if his dad’s presence would help the awkwardness any

“Apparently dad is only waiting for all his guests to arrive to make a big entrance” Markus said with a lenient smile “or that’s what Simon told me when he picked me up at the station”

That did rather sound like his dad, although he hadn’t been in the mood for it for a long time. Leo had no time to ask who else was invited when a new black cadillac fleetwood circa 1954 came up to park behind the much bulkier pickup truck that had brought him here, and his dad’s slick Buick Skylark which Simon used often to go shopping in the city.

“Are we late?” Elijah inquired “If so, I must blame my cousin’s car, it almost left us stranded”

“I’ll leave you fucking stranded” Gavin barked as he came down from the driver’s side

“It’s called karma, Gavin!” Leo peeped in

Gavin laughed finally recognizing the stupid hitchhiker “So it was really you Manfred, why I’m not surprised, what’s wrong with you?” Gavin barked back nodding towards Leo’s injured foot, “You weren’t limping when we passed you by, worked on some pity points with the geezer?” another rude nod towards Hank

“I got hurt because of you! –“ Leo stammered, not knowing how to connect his injury to Gavin splashing muddy water on him

“That’s enough, Reed” Hank said gruffly

“We aren’t at the station, Anderson! I don’t have to listen to you” Gavin snarled “What the fuck are you two doing here” 

“Blimey, would you look at that thing!” Tina said looking up at the Manor in wonder “I feel that dragon is really staring at us, Gavin don’t go upsetting her, it may think you are a bad spirit and fly down to bite your head off” she called out

“I’m not that fucking lucky” Gavin muttered

“It’s authentic,” Elijah explained to her “It used to guard a grand house not unlike this one in the french country side before Carl snatched it up”

Leo felt weirdly out of place already, Simon came back with the bowl of water, and he and Markus talked with Connor while they tended to the dog, while Elijah showed Tina the windows with the stained glass, and talked about the architecture of the house with familiar authority.

Leo stared blankly at the two big stone creatures sat at each side of the front steps, they looked disturbingly alive, probably thanks to their unusual red garnet eyes, not unlike those used in taxidermy. Were they supposed to be small bears? Or big wolves? he couldn’t quite tell but they were fuck ugly anyway, although not as much as their third brother sitting at attention, guarding the front door. Leo almost sighed. Markus and Elijah were the real sons, Leo was only a bothersome add-on and he wondered if his dad knew he’d been invited at all of if it had been Markus’ idea.

“Does dad know I was invited?” Leo asked uncertainly, as everyone started to move inside, even Connor and Hank. Simon seemed to have convinced them to stop a second for refreshments.

“Of course” Markus said encouragingly “It was his idea, but he thought it may be better if the invitation came from me”

“Hmm” Leo mumbled, still not quite convinced

The group walked into the big ample foyer of the house, the Manor was if anything more impressive in the inside, and the outside had already been startling. Inside it was much brighter; Carl wasn’t shy with the use of color, they walked on tiles that depicted all kinds of weird sea creatures; the walls were covered with blue and green wallpapers with intricate designs.

They went through a door, and then a hall, a couple of stairwells, and a few more doors, it all started to feel like a funhouse, Mrs. Winchester Mystery House had a strong competitor. 

The spidery halls were just as full of beautiful things and furniture made by big names in the arts none of which Leo would be able to name. They were just pretty, expensive, useless trinkets, most of them one of a kind. There were big mirrors on the walls that played with the light and were strategically placed with mathematical precision to bring the light from the windows into the interior maze of halls.

There were also delicate crystal bases full of fresh flowers, making the inside feel lively and welcoming. Simon’s touch most likely, his dad didn’t think of small details like that. When they finally reached the parlor, Simon disappeared and appeared again with the refreshment; several types of expensive black teas, brandy and rum cakes, cheese and cucumber sandwiches, berries and sweet cream. 

They were just dealing with the cakes and tea cups, when finally, the big double doors to the parlor clicked open, and there was Carl Manfred himself. The manner in which he was dressed in a rich navy blue coat with intricate embroidery, and the way the tails of it fell around his wheelchair, made him look more royal than usual. Gavin unkindly wondered if the geezer had just been waiting at the other side of the door to roll himself out when everyone was here, sitting with cups full of hot liquid in their hands and at a disadvantage.

“Dad!” Markus said, always happy to see him

“My word, you are looking quite good Carl” Elijah said, his tone fond and pleased

“I’m feeling truly rejuvenated” Carl said buoyantly, “I’m so glad you two could make it, I know how busy you both are”

“I wouldn’t miss it” Markus said with a sincere smile

“I hope you won’t mind,” Elijah said carelessly “I brought my cousin, Gavin Reed, and Miss Tina Chen”

“We are not staying” Gavin hurried to add rudely

Carl’s eyes went over the faces of both of Elijah’s guests, “No lovely Chloe with you today?”

“I’m afraid not,” Elijah smiled “But I assure you Miss Chen is just as delightful company” Elijah did not say it, but everyone did hear a silent ‘can’t say the same for my cousin,’ 

“Oh! I’m sure.” Carl smiled, “and Lieutenant Anderson as well” A cloud seemed to pass over Carl’s face for the shortest fraction of a second “I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon, I’m afraid I don’t remember you sending a rsvp” he said in a casual, friendly manner

“It wasn’t planned” Hank said shaking the other man’s hand “I see quite a bit has changed since we were last here, Manfred, how long ago was that Connor?”

“A week ago” Connor said evenly

“A week ago” Hank repeated 

“That would seem so, at my age health is a completely unpredictable see-saw” Carl replied amiably “But please, do enjoy your refreshments, Simon has been slaving away all week preparing for the occasion”

Leo sat in the plush sofa feeling slightly less uncomfortable than he usually did around his dad, only because comparatively the Lieutenant and Gavin didn’t seem to know what to say or how to act either, so Leo wasn’t alone on it this once. Lieutenant’s Anderson’s scowl hadn’t disappeared, while Connor sat a little too stiffly, Gavin slumped on his seat looking openly bored and exasperated, and Leo was pretty sure that if the coffee table (an expensive antique for sure) were close enough, he’d have his muddy boots all over it.

His dad talked casually with Markus and Elijah just as always, and paid special attention to Miss Chen pointing out to her the sculptures, the woodwork, the paintings “_That’s an original Waterhouse, my dear_”, the tapestries, the snarling dragon bronze statues. There was a big table with an automaton in it, a flautist with a theatrical handle mustache and colorful 18th century clothes, with vivid ribbons on his hat and his blazer. Carl invited Tina to wind him up, as she let go of the handle the music started and the flautist played, the little mechanical birds perched on his arms and shoulders sang harmonies too moving their wings and their little heads.

Leo and Tina were completely delighted by it, even letting escape the rare ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ when one of the mechanical birds actually hopped; even Connor seemed charmed by it.

“That was made by our Elijah here” Carl said fondly

“Really?” Tina asked “It’s wonderful!”

“Credit where credit is due” Elijah said in a rare display of humility “Chloe is mostly responsible for this one, I’m not this whimsical. I kept asking her what the point of it was, and she kept saying the point of it was for it to be beautiful, to make people happy. Seeing a few faces here I think it has achieved its mission, Chloe will be pleased” 

“Say Elijah, should we take Miss Chen on a small tour of the house?” Carl said placing his finished cup of tea on the table “That is, If you wouldn’t mind helping me just like old times, Markus”

“Oh! You don’t have to,” Tina hurried to say “I don’t want to intrude!”

“Not an intrusion at all, dear, always wonderful to have a beautiful woman be interested in my collections, shall we boys”

Leo stood up awkwardly, he wasn’t sure if the “boys” included him, it of course included Elijah and Markus, they followed Carl’s suggestion without hesitation. Markus took his dad’s chair and Elijah started to talk to Tina about the history of some of the pieces in the hall, while Leo teetered in the room. He had already stood up, it would be stupid to sit again, right? and –

“So what’s that? an old clock or what” Gavin spat at that moment, pointing at another one of the many things in the room, a lovely wooden cabinet

Leo turned to look at it, already in a bad mood, of course he wouldn’t know what the fuck –

“Oh! That one I know!” Leo said “Do you have a penny?”

“You are seriously trying to get money out of me”

“It’s only a fucking penny, assface!”

“I got one” Connor interjected,

“Thank you, Connor” Leo said pointedly, walking up to the wooden cabinet that resembled a clock’s. When Leo dropped the penny in the slot, the machine started to play a haunting version of Faust’s Waltz

“It’s a [symphonion](https://youtu.be/d-Vu7G5yRq8?t=27) upright music box” Leo explained “You can even change the disks so it can play other pieces”

“You can see it all working” Connor said walking towards it

“Yeah!” Leo said animatedly, opening it for Connor to have a better look

“It’s incredible, it’s all mechanical!” Connor said in wonder

“Sorry to interrupt, Leo” Simon said softly, “But could you help me with some of these” he said gesturing to a second tray with the used cups and plates

“Oh, sure!” Leo said only with a shadow of self-consciousness

“Thank you,” Simon smiled,

The two of them went out of the parlor leaving the three officers on their own. Leo was glad he’d followed after Simon right away, because if he’d let him go and then tried to find the kitchen by himself he was sure he would have gotten lost and then someone would find his dry skeleton in one of the cupboards a hundred years from now or something, the kitchen wasn’t close to the parlor either, this was one of those kitchen downstairs arrangements.

“So, what’s been up with dad?” Leo asked when they set up to wash the dishes, apparently both of them unwilling to go back just yet. “He feeling better? He’s looking pretty good, is that why he invited us?”

Simon hesitated for just a moment before replying

“I honestly don’t know” There was unusual tension in Simon’s voice and he was really bad at hiding it “You know a week ago he –” Simon trailed off

“What is it?” Leo asked “He isn’t giving you a hard time, right Simon? I know you like my dad, but he can be a selfish, self-centered dick, you don’t have to put up with him”

“It’s not that… Leo…” Simon said, a serious look on his face “I think you should leave –“

“What?” Leo said, hurt obvious in his tone, Simon was the only person in this house that was happy to see him “Did I do something wrong already?” his smile faltered

“Of course not, it’s just” Simon continued softly “Things are… difficult right now, although they may not look it”

“Things are always difficult with my dad–” Leo fidgeted “it’s really not a good time for me, Simon. I owe my rent and I’m sure I’m going to get evicted–“

“I’ll give you money, if you need it” Simon replied, he took a few big bills out of his coat pocket and extended them to Leo “Is this enough?”

“More than enough, Simon!” Leo said pushing the money away gently “But you don’t have to –”

“Go back to the city with Elijah’s cousin, alright?” Simon said with a nod

“Why?” 

“Only because I really want you to be happy” Simon said softly, giving an affectionate squeeze to his shoulder “And I don’t think that’ll happen here, especially not right now”

“You really aren’t like, mad at me about something?”

“Not at all” Simon said pulling him into a hug “Write to me if you need any more money, okay? But keep away for a while, yes?”

“Fine,” Leo agreed “but only because you say so”

Meanwhile back in the parlor, as the music from the symphonion died out the officers sank into an atmosphere of moody familiarity that was to them much more comfortable than the tense, uninterested discomfort there had been before, as Carl, Markus and Elijah talked about the art in the room.

“I’m not losing my marbles, am I Connor?” Hank said finally, “This is fucking fishy”

“It does seem,” Connor said with a small scowl of his own, carefully closing the box Leo had opened for him and returning to his seat “if nothing else, strange”

“What the fuck are you two going on about?” Gavin interjected “What’s strange about that pruney geezer, apart from the apparent, he’s Elijah’s friend of course he’d be an off-putting wacko”

“What are you working on right now?” Hank asked as if jumping to an unrelated matter, 

Gavin scoffed dismissively “A fucking robbery at the vet’s office, they took some type of anesthetic thing, pento-something”

“pentobarbitone?” Connor suggested

“Yeah, that” Gavin huffed “That’s all they took, one bottle of the stuff. We think is either to sell it in the black market, or some fucking moron is going to try to get high with it and have a nasty surprise”

“Who is in charge of the Chapman case then?” Hank asked

“Fucking Perkins” Gavin spat “Second person missing in less than a month, and you two without any answers yet, they would get the big shots, some idiots think Perkins is all that”

“I trust you know all about it, though” Hank said raising an inquisitive eyebrow

“Sorta,” Gavin glared at him, jealous of his information

“Well…” Hank prodded

“Kara Chapman disappeared one week ago” Gavin said “The last person to see her was her adoptive mother Rose Chapman when she left home at 6 pm. She was supposed to pick up her daughter from a school friend’s house, but she never made it. Her mother and her husband assure us she would never run away, not like her leaving her daughter behind, not like her to worry her husband or her mother either” Gavin shrugged “a pretty run off the mill case, if it weren’t because of the Amanda Stern disappearance”

“Have they interviewed Carl Manfred about Chapman?”

“Don’t think so” Gavin thought for a moment “But the investigation is at the very early stages, Manfred may have hired her for something at some point, if so they will get around to it”

Hank trusted he’d remember if it were otherwise. He knew the kid’s memory was impressive, almost as good as Connor’s when it came to case files, moreover he couldn’t see the Manfred name in a file without having to read it cover to cover

“We interviewed Manfred last week” Hank added

“For the Stern case? What’s the connection?” Gavin asked

“The only connection is that cousin of yours”

“How so?” Gavin said with a frown

“Doctor Stern was your cousin’s mentor a few years back,” Hank asked

“I’m not that up to date on my cousin’s acquaintances”

“Everyone we talked to agrees Stern is a very intelligent woman, bit eccentric too, not unusual with those brainy types” Hank went on “after she retired she wouldn’t leave her house much, rather stay and do her gardening, her roses were winning prices right and left apparently, but she also produced a bothersome quantity of correspondence and notes in that time which Connor is still going through. Her diaries are in some weird code or somethin’, Connor’s been decoding it, I have no hope of understanding most of the stuff that’s in plain english. We had no more leads so we started visiting everyone she corresponded with, grasping at straws. She only exchanged a few short letters with Manfred, mostly talking about what your cousin is up to. We came out of here empty handed last week, we weren’t expecting differently, but now–”

“What’s the big deal?”

“He wasn’t in a wheel chair one week ago” Hank said “He looked less like an old man then too, not what I was expecting after his accident –”

“You saying he’s making this invalid shit up?” Gavin asked, his efforts to hide his interest thrown to the bin

“Can’t make up my mind about it” Hank said gruffly “What do you think, Connor?”

“We don’t know the details of his illness or the type of damage his body suffered after his accident,” Connor said evenly, always the voice of reasonable logic “it may be a transient medical condition that requires the use of the wheelchair only on his weaker days, although none of his sons seems aware of this.”

“Yeah,” Hank said “Still, there’s something about it that’s irking me. One week ago all fine and dandy, hell, he looked better than me, but he’s in a wheel chair now? What do you think of it, Reed?” Hank asked just like he’d asked of Connor. It was like consulting both the angel and the demon on his shoulders for their opinions, always useful to have both in their line of work

Gavin shrugged loosely “An old man feeling the reaper breathing down his neck and trying to play the pity me game with his adult kids. Maybe he realized no matter how much money he shoves up someone’s ass they aren’t going to put up with his senile tantrums as much as a son would. Leo is a stubborn piece of work but pity would work marvels on him; don’t know about that other prick”

Connor and Gavin seemed to have reached the same conclusion; an old man either playing games or dealing with a troublesome medical condition but it did nothing to abate Hank’s suspicions, suspicion of what he wasn’t sure, but then again he wouldn’t be the most objective judge of Carl Manfred’s behavior, he didn’t like the guy.

“Connor, maybe we should try to have another word with that assistant, Simon” Hank said “ask about the wheelchair, Manfred’s condition, all that shit”

“Understood, Hank”

“Could use an extra pair of eyes, Reed” Hank turned to Gavin

“I’m fucking leaving as soon as Chen finishes her damn crazy house tour” Gavin spat, but he had sat up in his chair, now running his eyes over the room with an alertness he hadn’t had before.

“Those goddamn dragons are fucking ridiculous” Gavin said with distaste

Hank grunted in agreement. 

“You should stay, dear” Carl was saying as his group came back to the parlor, “You have hardly seen anything yet, I have a collection of jewelry I would like to show you. Men never appreciate it as it should be appreciated,”

“I’d love to” Tina said, “But because of the storm I think is time for us to get back, right Gavin?”

“Yep!” Gavin replied standing up “The sooner the better, you took fucking forever”

“That’s our cue as well, Connor” Hank said following suit

Gavin thought the house was fucking nightmarish, all useless furniture and things that didn’t look like anyone used them, halls with turns that didn’t seem to go anywhere, he felt like one of those mice they put on labyrinths, like he’d be trapped in it and someone would laugh at him as he tried to find the way out, now most of Leo’s fucked-upness made complete sense.

He felt relieved when they finally came outside, the sooner they were away the better. He didn’t bother with goodbyes or niceties, he simply bee-lined towards his car.

“Wait a second” Leo rushed out of the house “Can I go back with you?”

“Leo!” Carl admonished “You came this far, you have to stay” it sounded like a command not a petition

“Sorry dad, it was really just a quick visit since Markus sent the letter and all. Can I go back to the city with you?” Leo directed himself to Gavin again

“Get a move on” Gavin barked nodding towards the car “it’s already fucking late” he couldn’t blame the dumbass for wanting out of here

Tina took her usual place as shotgun, Leo got in the back, both of them seemed just as eager to get out of here as Gavin did. He frowned at Tina, she’d been so excited about seeing all this crap, she gave him her ‘_I’ll tell you later’ _look, he turned the key in the ignition and then… nothing happened.

“Fucking piece of shit!” Gavin said getting out of the car “Elijah!” He didn’t need to shout, Elijah was already walking towards him.

“What the hell?” they heard Anderson shout

“What the fuck?” Gavin echoed him one second later when he popped up the hood of his car, he didn’t know that much about cars but he knew enough to know his had been tampered with, completely messed up. He turned to look at Anderson, the Lieutenant was clearly angry now, as he and Connor stood side by side looking into what Gavin guessed was a similar mess.

“Who the fuck did this?” Gavin shouted angrily at the people on the stone steps

“Is there a problem?” Markus asked

“Of course there’s a fucking problem!” Gavin yelled “Someone messed with my goddamn car! and by the looks of it they also did with the Lieutenants!” he only used Anderson’s Rank as a Ace card at times like this

“What’s the meaning of this, Manfred” Hank added

“Everyone was inside when it happened” Markus said, understandably defensive

“So what?” Gavin shouted, by now Leo and Tina had also gotten out of the car and were looking at the messed up engine “are you telling me there are, what, forest gnomes that like to fuck up with cars? Whatever, I’m taking yours, I’ll give it to you later. Anderson you coming with?”

Hank walked up to Simon outstretching his hand palm up

“Sorry, son” He said “But the kid is right, our lot gotta get out of here before the storm strikes”

“Sure, Lieutenant” Simon said, giving him the keys “I don’t use it much anyway, I don’t need it back immediately”

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring it back personally in one or two days” the Lieutenant said

The buick skylark wasn’t the most spacious car, Gavin’s group took the back, while Connor struggled to make Sumo fit in the front, the Lieutenant turned the key in the ignition, and then, for a second time, nothing happened.

“You are fucking kidding me!” Gavin stormed out of the car, he popped the hood up, it was as messed up as the others

“Come on, Gavin” Elijah said “There are worse places to have car troubles”

“Hard to think of one…” Leo muttered

“These are no car troubles, Elijah!” Gavin shouted back “these things were fucking tampered with–”

“Even if they were”

“They fucking were!”

“Even then, there’s nothing we can do about it now” Elijah argued

“Why are you so calm about this”

“Kids from town daring each other to come here and do something stupid is not as rare as you’d think” Elijah said

“And I’m sure you officers will find an answer to it” Carl said evenly, “But in the meantime you are welcome to stay here, we have more than enough room.”

The wind was really picking up now and big, fat raindrops splashed against the stone steps, against their heads.

“Please, come in” Carl turned to go back into the house, Markus and Elijah followed

“Phck!”

“Keep your eyes open, Reed” Hank said as the rest of them walked back inside


	3. Chapter 3

Their early dinner was light and awkward. Hank sniffed suspiciously at everything, trying to make sure the tea didn’t smell of almonds more likely, Gavin couldn’t blame him, they decided to retire early since the storm was messing up with the electricity, and their host claimed to be spent after the day. Simon helped Carl to retire to his bedroom and then came back with instructions of which were the rooms the guest should have, he set to show everyone to theirs.

Hank and Connor were dropped first, they insisted on keeping the dog with them,

“Sumo is an inside dog, son” Hank said firmly “Can’t sleep outside, much less in a storm like this”

Leo was next. Gavin tried to remember the way to both rooms, but all the turns, and stairs and doors that really didn’t need to be there disoriented him.

“I’d like to share a room with Gavin if that’s okay?” Tina said

“Of course” Simon replied with a smile “Twin beds like the Lieutenant’s room or a single”

“Twins would be excellent if you have them,” Tina chirped “he kicks in his sleep, no way I’m sharing a bed with him if I can help it”

“You are the one that kicks” Gavin argued, “You fucking snore as well”

“I do not!” Tina said “And even If I do, I rather snore than fart your absolute stink bombs!”

“You can have the ocean room” Simon interrupted the sibling-like banter, showing them into a big bedroom furnished in all shades of blue, the cut of the glass in the windows made the light shine like sun through water even with the late evening dimness and the grey clouds outside.

“This is beautiful, thank you!” Tina said,

“I’ll come for you when it’s time for breakfast,” Simon said, and then repeated what he’d said to Connor, Hank and Leo “it’s better for you not to wander alone in the house until you get used to the layout, it’s very easy to get lost, and some doors do lead to nowhere so it may even be dangerous” he nodded politely to them and left

“Perfect, so we are fucking prisoners,” Gavin said darkly “and what’s up with you? Not like you to want to share a room” he sat on one of the beds

“I don’t know, this place is giving me the heebie jeebies” Tina said “Strength in numbers,”

“I thought you liked all this crap”

“I thought so too… I do…” Tina said sitting next to him “I don’t know why but half through the walk I was ready to leave, although everything I saw was just as beautiful as this room” she sounded uncertain, as if she wasn’t actually sure if the room was beautiful or not, after all, you really felt underwater, made you feel like you’d have trouble breathing any second now.

“Of course you wanted to leave,” Gavin let himself fall back on the bed “this fucking place is mental, it makes you feel weird in the head, and what the fuck was that shit with the cars anyway?”

“I was with Mr. Manfred, Markus and Elijah all the time” Tina said, flopping next to him

“And I was with Hank and Connor”

“That leaves Simon and Leo as our suspects?” Tina said “Doesn’t seem likely”

“That pasty assistant doesn’t have the nerve” Gavin said

“What about Leo?” Tina said, the shadow of a smirk on her lips

“Manf– Leo– looked as ready to leave as the rest of us,” Gavin said, he wasn’t fucking calling him Manfred now when his wacko dad was the original

“Actually, let’s go back to Mr. Manfred?” Tina suggested “He wasn’t with us when Simon showed us in”

“This place isn’t exactly made for that chair,” Gavin said “He would have to go down those damn ridiculous stone steps, deal with the gravel, mess up the cars, the 3 of them and then come back into the house to meet us. That geezer wasn’t looking any the worse for wear”

“Well, it’s my theory and I stand by it” Tina said lightly

Gavin Scoffed “The Lieutenant would back you up; Hank doesn’t like the old pruney prick one bit”

“That’s interesting”

“Wait till you hear all of it” Gavin said, putting Tina up to speed on what the Lieutenant had told him. 

Leo paced his room. Up and down, up and down, he walked to his door and turned the lock, there that was better, although he didn’t know what was making him this uneasy. He’d visited his dad’s city house, he’d never stayed over though, and he’d never visited the Manor, maybe that was it, too much at once, or maybe it was the weird shit with the cars, or that he couldn’t leave the room because he’d get lost.

Simon had put him in the peregrines room, full with stuffed birds, peregrine falcons mainly hence the name, but there were also a few owls on the walls, forever swooping down on prey, he wondered if he was meant to be it... the prey. He didn’t like to feel watched either, not even by stupid stuffed birds. The rain tapped at his window sounding just like nails tapping on glass, that wasn’t helping either. The lights flickered threatening to go out, he prepared to go to sleep, nothing better to do.

Leo got into his bed and put the covers over his head just like he had when something spooked him when he was a little kid, he considered sleeping under the bed, and then decided against it; what if there was something already there? Leo was really absolute fantastic at scaring himself, and he did so until he managed to fall into a fidgety sleep

“_Wake up!”_

The voice woke him up with a start, it sounded like a woman, had he dreamed it? He tried to pay attention, see if he could hear it again. His room was completely dark, although he’d left every light he could on before getting into bed. He turned over, trying to ignore the frightened beating of his heart when he realized there was something in his room, he was sure of it, he could feel it, he could hear it breathing as well, and there was some kind of stench a bit like rotten eggs.

It didn’t seem to be a person, much less a lady; Leo waited for his eyes to get used to the dark, and then he thought he saw something big, hairy, something blacker than black, accompanied by a low growl.

“Sumo?” Leo said, his voice thin and uncertain “How did you get here?”

Leo sat up, trying to turn on his bedside lamp, but no light came on. The growling thing came closer and Leo sprang up just in time before the thing pounced on his bed. Leo rushed to his door, fumbling with the stupid lock he himself had put in place, finally opening it and sprinting out of his bedroom.

He ran blindly through the corridors in the dark, his hurt ankle screaming at him. As he remembered Simon saying how some of the doors lead nowhere, he slipped on a spiral stairwell all the way down, ending up in a clump at the foot of it, he tried to get up with difficulty, nothing seemed broken, but everything hurt.

The big mirrors made his escape in the dark only more difficult, his shadow reflected in them startled him and that was when he saw them before he ran into them. Leo knew he was absolutely lost by now, but he couldn’t stop. The bear-wolf thing, just like the ones in the entrance, was still after him, and somehow he knew the creature wasn’t alone, there had to be at least two of them, although, okay, maybe, maybe that was only his paranoia, he knew it well, it was good friends with his anxiety, but he wasn’t going to question it just now. 

“_Over here!_” 

Leo twirled in place trying to find the source of the voice, it was the same voice from before, definitely a woman’s, but he was fairly sure it wasn’t Tina’s.

“Where?” Leo asked to the empty dark feeling idiotic, maybe he was dreaming, and if that was it he had had more than enough of it, maybe all of this was thanks to that extra rum cake he’d had at dinner.

“_Here!_”

Leo tried to follow the voice, just when he felt like he’d lost it, it’d call again “_Here!” _she said, whoever she was, why was he trusting her anyway? Just like him to go around following disembodied voices. When he took a bit too much time deciding on where it was coming from he could actually see the dark thing still following behind him, somehow always finding him, always going through all the doors he closed to put a barrier between the thing and himself.

“_Over here!_”

This time the voice sounded so loud and clear in his ear it made him jump, he opened the door he thought the voice was coming from.

“What the fuck?” a voice bellowed as soon as Leo came into the dark room, a decidedly male one,

Something pulled at Leo’s arm then, it was twisted to his back and he was pushed to the ground. He squeaked, he was going to be killed by some sort of devil dog and all he could do was that, predictably pathetic.

“I got them!” A woman’s voice said firmly, but this time Leo recognized it without a doubt as Tina’s

“The fucking lights aren’t working” Gavin said

“It’s me!” Leo squeaked again

“Leo?” Tina said, losing her steel grip

“Yeah” he whined, as he crawled to the door shutting it, he could hardly make out Tina’s silhouette

“There was something after me, it was big and, and –“ Leo tripped over his words as he tried to explain

“What the fuck is wrong with you?“ Gavin said from somewhere in the dark “Are you high?”

“I’ve been clean for two years!”

The lights flickered on as if with an effort, revealing Leo, looking disheveled and frightened on the floor, while Tina sat near him, and Gavin stood over them.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Tina said with an understanding, older sister tone; she was always way too soft with Leo in Gavin’s opinion

“You sure you clean?” Gavin said “You drunk?”

“I’m not! I’m telling you there was like a big bear-wolf in my room, did you see them when we got in, just like those! they tried to get me and I ran out of– and I didn’t know where I was going and everything was dark and I heard a lady’s voice, and it kept telling me where to go, until I got here” Leo tried to explain “You have a really good grasp Tina, I thought you were going to break my arm” he said admiringly as he rubbed it

“Thanks!” she chirped “I’m quite proud of it myself”

“You had a nightmare, Dumbass” Gavin said dismissively “You have too much of a vivid imagination for your own good, and listen I’ll give it to ya, those things at the door are fucking freaky”

“Ugh, yeah” Tina agreed “With the red eyes and all”

“It wasn’t a nightmare!” Leo complained “I can tell what’s real and what’s not, and this shit was fucking real!”

“Maybe it was Sumo, maybe it went out exploring” Tina suggested

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Sumo”

Gavin walked towards the door

“What the fuck are you doing?” Leo said hurriedly scrambling up, grabbing Gavin’s arm without thinking

“I’m going to check,”

“What if it gets you?!”

Gavin scoffed “That’s a risk I’m willing to take to prove you wrong, outta my way”

Gavin pushed Leo aside, far more gently than Leo thought he would, and went out of the room. There where lamps on almost every table; some had stained glass screens that painted the walls with watercolor light which doubled in the mirrors, nothing looked scary at all now, with the sound of the rain outside it felt almost cozy, like some upscale French hotel.

“Wait , Gav!” Tina said, hurrying to one of the dresser drawers, she came back with a big ball of ugly lime green yarn “Wouldn’t want you to get lost” she said offering an extreme

“Fucking smart, Ariadne” Leo chirped

“How did you know that shit was in there?” Gavin asked “Did you bring it with you?”

Tina shook her head “I checked the drawers while you showered to make sure nothing was hiding in them, poor thing must have been left over because“ Tina lowered her voice as if not to hurt the yarn’s feelings “It’s so ugly”

“Jeez, you and I have a lot in common ball of yarn” Leo said, then he turned to Gavin “If you find the minotaur don’t fight him just run back”

“I’m asking you again” Gavin barked “Are you smoked, or high, or pissed or under the influence of… whatever?”

“I’m not!”

“Because you are saying weird stuff every time you open your damn mouth”

“I know what I saw!” Leo crossed his arms defensively

“Right,” Gavin scoffed, walking away reluctantly holding on to his end of the yarn because it wasn’t a bad idea, he didn’t want to get lost in this madhouse.

The barking and growling in Hank and Connor’s room had an easier explanation. Sumo, always a mellow dog, hadn’t stopped barking since Simon had left them in the weird room. The room was furnished with dark wood and a plush creamy carpet, maybe trying to give it the feeling of a cabin, just like the one Hank and Connor should be in right now instead of here.

What they wouldn’t have had at the cabin were all the animal heads and skulls that stared creepily at them from the walls, hunting trophies, a hell of a waste. All Hank would have in the wall of his cabin was one of those ridiculous, plastic singing fishes, he and Cole always thought it was hilarious.

Tell you what wasn’t hilarious, the two human skulls hanging over the window. Hank hoped they were some weird arty shit, but knowing Manfred they were more likely real, some poor fools’ skulls that had ended as decoration instead of helping science, being actually useful.

Eventually, Sumo, the big old dunce, tried to hide under Connor’s bed, he couldn’t fit, so he jumped on Connor instead, whining a little but calmer.

“Are you awake, Hank?” Connor asked after a few minutes over the dog’s snores

“Sure am” Hank replied “Someone’s got to keep watch, and Sumo aint gonna do it”

“I thought I was keeping watch” Connor said with his quiet brand of humor

“Well, you aren’t so go to sleep” Hank said “But before that, you could get us to the front door, even with all the labyrinth shit, right?”

“Yes, I’m certain I could” Connor replied with absolute confidence, Hank was always left in awe of his photographic memory

“Do you think that’s why we were locked in first?” Hank said aloud, he’d usually just think it, but Connor was his right hand “So we wouldn’t know where the others are?”

Connor considered this possibility seriously “It seems implausible, but I can’t discard it, not after the event with the cars. However, we aren’t locked in, I checked”

“Just as if we were if we didn’t have your memory. All of this is making me uncomfortable but,“ Hank sighed “maybe it’s nothing, ”

Hank got out of bed with a grunt, he couldn’t lie there anymore, he stepped on the room’s carpet only to find it disgustingly wet

“Shit! Well, there goes Manfred’s fancy carpet the storm is doing a number on it,”

“How? The windows are closed”

“Who knows, bad pipes maybe, can’t say I’m sorry” Hank walked over to the light switch, his bare feet clapping wetly on the ruined carpet. He turned the light on. 

“What the hell!!”

Hank’s shout woke Sumo up, the dog started to bark and move anxiously still on Connor’s bed

“Don’t let him come down on this stuff, Connor”

“It’s okay, Sumo” Connor said trying to calm the dog down “Good dog…”

The carpet which had been a rich creamy white when they went to bed was soaked red now, a big scarlet splotch blooming as if the red liquid were flowing from somewhere underneath the very center of the room, Hanks bare feet were smeared with the stuff

“What the fuck is this shit!”

“It looks like blood, Hank” Connor said calmly, sitting on his bed holding Sumo still

“Yeah, it even stinks like it”

The bathroom door which they had left ajar because Hank would walk right into it in his half asleep-half awake night pee trips, slammed shut, just as if someone were inside the bathroom. They could hear the gurgling and splashing of water inside, almost as if someone were cleaning it there. Connor and Hank looked at each other, their body language changing to the one they took on the job

“Stay, Sumo!” Connor said to the dog before getting his shoes, not to step in the red stuff like Hank had done. Sumo whined but lied down in the bed looking alertly at his owners.

They both walked to each side of the bathroom door, Hank indicating for Connor to stand back, before he kicked the door in. Hank half expected to see someone of the younger crowd, Leo maybe, damn, even Gavin, still hoping for all of this to be a silly prank, but the scene that greeted them in the bathroom wasn’t a welcoming one. There was blood splattered all over the place, the tub was regurgitating some type of red liquid, and it would soon start overflowing, it was like blood diluted with water, and Hank could swear there were pieces of skin floating in there

“Hell, is like someone got butchered in here” Hank said, they had used the bathroom when getting ready for bed, he’d have made at least two pee trips already, it hadn’t been like this then

“Maybe, the pipes got clogged… and the storm is bringing it back up” Connor said, then he looked up at the big mirror, a few weird nonsensical scribbles made with the same red stuff were smudged over it.

“Hank!” Connor exclaimed “I need a pencil, or a pen, something!”

“Hell, I think I saw some on the desk” He hurried out of the bathroom, still barefoot, the blood-like liquid still on the carpet so that hadn’t been a dream, and soon it would leak out of the bathroom as well. Sumo whined at him as he saw him go by.

“Here, Connor” Hank said, “Some paper too”

“Thanks, Hank!” Connor said as he started scribbling furiously on the paper at the same time Sumo started barking, anxious, angry barks that were quite unlike him.

“There, boy!” Hank sat on the bed next to the dog, “Get out of there before that tub starts overflowing!” he shouted at the bathroom as he cleaned the damn stuff off his feet with some tissues

“Anything interesting?” Hank added when Connor walked out looking at the scribbles on his papers

“I’m not sure yet –“

A harsh bang on the door cut Connor off, and then another, BAM BAM BAM it went, which only made Sumo bark louder. Connor and Hank looked at each other, Hank was at one second from uttering a baffled albeit useless _‘what the hell is going on?!’ _

“Hank, is that you barking or is that your dog?” Gavin’s voice said from the other side

“Goddamn it, Reed!” Hank shouted “Come in, it’s open”

Gavin opened the door to their bedroom only to take a step back

“What in the fucking hell happened here?” Gavin had never sounded more dumbfounded in all the time Hank had known him “Did your dog pee the carpet? That’s why cats are better, y’know”

“Reed,” Hank said tiredly “does that crap look like fucking pee to you?”

“I’m trying to think of something that makes sense” Gavin replied “Something that doesn’t sound mental”

“Goddammit, Connor!” Hank shouted, as he turned to see Connor kneeling on the floor touching the stuff “Don’t fucking touch it we don’t know what it is”

“You walked on it” Connor said unconcerned

“You walked on it?!” Gavin said in a disgusted yap

“I couldn’t see what the hell it was” Hank defended himself

“I’m fairly sure it’s blood” Connor said bringing his fingers close to his nose to sniff it

“Fucking Christ, at least we know Reed can see it too” Hank huffed “What are you doing here anyway?” he glanced at the thread in Gavin’s hands “Looking for some needles, taking up on a nice calming hobby, Reed?”

Gavin scoffed “it was Tina’s idea so I wouldn’t get lost, Manfred –“

Hank frowned

“Leo–,” Gavin corrected to make clear he was talking about the Manfred Hank actually liked “he’s hearing voices and seeing things, came to check, and heard your dog barking, find this mess”

“What did he see?” Hank asked

“He’s saying things about a demon wolf trying to get him or something, I thought it was crazy talk, the idiot sleepwalking, or drunk, who the fuck knows with him” Gavin shrugged, looked at the bloody carpet, some of the stuff was starting to pour in from the bathroom with its overflowing tub “But this is as real as it gets”

“We are not staying here,” Hank said walking towards Sumo, “let’s go big boy” he said lifting the dog from the bed “Not letting you step on that crap”

They followed the thread back to Gavin’s room. They had almost reached it when they came to the first sign of something wrong, a lamp smashed to pieces in the hallway, a bloody trail of footprints. They ran the rest of the corridor, opening the slightly ajar door to Gavin’s room; the ball of yarn caught under the wardrobe had kept unraveling dutifully but Tina and Leo were nowhere to be found.


	4. Chapter 4

“Maybe we should flip a coin, you know, one of us should go after him, and the other stays on yarn duty” Leo said to Tina, watching the ball of yarn unravelling little by little in her hands

“Would the winner or the loser go after him?” Tina asked with a playful smirk

“You don’t win or lose in heads or tails,” Leo replied trying to sound indifferent

“Nice save!”

“Come on! Aren’t you worried?” Leo said “Or you don’t believe me about the thing!” Leo sounded offended, although he knew he shouldn’t be. He was starting to doubt himself, maybe he had dreamed it after all

Tina tilted her head one way and the other considering if she believed him or not “I think you definitely saw something, this house doesn’t feel right”

Tina moved her shoulders in a circular motion, trying to relieve the tension they held for no apparent reason. She felt just as she did when she was on the job, walking into a dark house where someone had been brutally murdered, without knowing if the perpetrator was still there just waiting for a new catch to walk right into their hands. That was what had bothered her earlier in the evening and the feeling was only the heavier now.

“One of us should go check on him” Leo insisted 

“I can’t go because I’m here to protect you,” Tina said in a shadow of her officer voice “and I’m not letting you go on your own”

“I’m not that useless”

“Do you have an officer’s training?”

“No...”

“Do you want to face the thing on your own?”

“No... but I don’t want it to get Gavin either,” Leo said fidgeting slightly “I don’t think he knows when to retreat”

There was a moment of silence while Tina considered this, but Leo knew he’d already won.

“Damn,” Tina sighed, “Let’s both go, we can leave yarn on its own” she kneeled letting it get loosely caught under the wardrobe “There, good girl!” she said giving it a little pat

Leo and Tina walked down the hallway following the ugly lime green thread, the colour clashed with the tasteful décor of the house, it was easy to spot, at least when the lights were on. As if knowing this the many lamps around them extinguished themselves, not all of the sudden as it would correspond to electrical troubles because of the bad weather, but flickering off one by one as if mocking them. In the dark the storm seemed to pick up, the thunder and the wind felt close and menacing.

“Shit!” Leo exclaimed “Tina?”

“Why is it so dark in here? I can’t see a thing” Tina said, 

It was as if the dark muffled and distorted their voices, although they knew they were very close they could have been feet away; then there was the loud, startling crash of breaking glass, which was welcome, it seemed to return sound to its normal state

“Fuck!” Leo said “Shit, I just broke one of those lamps, shit, do you think my dad will notice?”

“Careful where you step on” Tina warned, once the oldest sister always the older sister “aren’t you barefoot?”

“Yeah, but do you think my dad will notice?”

“Your dad seems like the type of person that keeps a careful inventory of all he owns in little columns with prices”

“Fuck” Leo repeated “That stupid lamp is probably like a year of my salary, SHIT, FUCK!”

“You okay?”

“The glass got my foot”

“Okay, let’s just go back”

“No, I can keep going, let’s get Gavin”

Before Tina could agree, which was of course what she was going to do although she wished the lights would come on so she could assess Leo’s injury and thus what their actions should be, they heard a low growl coming from the end of the hall, it was so low they felt it in their chest before they ears could pick it up

“Tina?” Leo’s voice trembled “you did hear that, right?”

“Yeah...” Tina said in a low whisper “We’ll have to –”

Tina didn’t get to finish her sentence, the dark growling thing pounced towards them, and if anything it looked bigger than Leo remembered. They ran blindly, but together though the hallways; sometimes they would open a door and see light before them just for a moment before it turned off, as if purposely putting them in more of a disadvantage, going from total dark to somewhere painfully bright just to be dropped into the dark again. Sometimes they would open a door only to see another pair of red eyes and have to risk retreating into the halls they had come from.

As they were pursued by, and now they were sure, at least two bear-wolf things Tina realized they were being herded somewhere, and wherever it was it couldn’t be good.

“Leo, we have to fight back” she said easily

“Wh..what?!” He replied, sounding painfully out of breath,

“They are pushing us somewhere!” Tina explained “we have to stand our ground”

“With what though? There’s only like fuck old furniture, “Leo said panting painfully because of the effort and Tina was sure that if she could see him he’d be grabbing his cramping side “Maybe one of the –”

Leo was cut off by one of the beasts leaping towards him, smashing his body against one of the walls, knocking him out cold. The next second Tina was being pushed just the same, and she didn’t quite know when she had lost consciousness, because everything around her had already been pitch-black.

Unlike the other guests in the Manor Elijah and Markus didn’t feel at all trapped or claustrophobic in their respective rooms, which they used often enough for some of their belongings to always be in residence. Elijah’s room was furnished in the greys and reds he preferred, he had several changes of clothes in the wardrobe and books on the desk, some he’d brought with, some others Carl had left there because Elijah may be interested. He was, Carl had a very good grasp of Elijah’s tastes.

Elijah read far into the night just like he did at home, when he thought he heard his name being called. His first thought was that Chloe was right and he had to stop doing this, stop reading until 3 in the morning, long after his eyes started to complain about it, drying up and starting to burn even. Then he heard it again, much more clearly this time

“Gavin?” Elijah thought knitting his brow, the voice most definitely sounded like his cousin

“ELIJAH!!”

Yes, that was his cousin alright, busting his vocal cords by the sound of it. Elijah was not at all surprised, it didn’t take much for Gavin to make a scene, although he couldn’t imagine what the commotion could possibly be about in a country house at the small hours.

“Where the fuck are you, Elijah?!”

Elijah went out of his bedroom and followed his Cousin’s loud shouts easily through the beautifully furnished halls, just as familiar as those of his own Villa, if a little bit more complicated. He went down a spiraling staircase and, yes, now through the hall at his right, then to his left, left, right, left, and there they were.

“What’s this commotion about?” Elijah reprimanded “You are a guest in someone else’s house, Gavin” but he was surprised to find his cousin was not alone

“How the fuck are you so calm?” Gavin shouted at him “This house is fucking insane, and we can’t find Tina or Leo”

“You can’t find their rooms?” Elijah asked, trying to understand “I can go find Sim –“

“Not their fucking rooms, you fucking idiot!” Gavin shouted “Tina and I were staying in the same room, and then Leo came, and he was being chased by some… thing, and I went to search for it”

“Did you find it?” Elijah asked, humoring Gavin only because although his cousin was prone to make a scene he didn’t have this type of imagination

“I didn’t fucking find anything but these two had buckets of blood flooding their room”

Elijah raised one inquisitive eyebrow to his cousin’s companions

“I’m 99% sure it was blood,” Connor explained “although only by touch, smell, and taste”

“Taste?” Gavin grimaced

“Fuck, Connor!” Hank added

“Only by those factors” Connor continued, unfazed “I can’t deduce if it was animal or human, however we are sure it didn’t come from either Hank or Sumo or myself, and there didn’t seem to be a logic source for it”

“I saw it with my own two eyes, boy” Hank said,

“That’s not important!” Gavin interjected “When we came back to my room Tina and Leo were gone, and there was blood on the floor”

“Buckets of blood again?” Elijah inquired

“No,” Gavin said with a grimace “Only a few smears, as if someone had cut their foot on the fucking broken lamp”

Elijah frowned “Any other signs of a struggle?”

“Don’t use my fucking words on me” Gavin spat “There was no sign of a fucking struggle, only the blood and” he gestured uselessly “we can’t find them”

“Well, maybe they went in search of a first aid kit” Elijah said reasonably “Surely, nothing be this agitated about”

“What about the fucking 99% chance of real blood, genius?” Gavin rebuked “is that enough to be this agitated about?

Elijah shook his head noncommittally “The 1% may still prove true, these storms can shake the plumbing of a house like this”

“Listen, I’m telling you something really fucked up is going on!” Gavin shouted in exasperation, not liking how he sounded almost like Leo had earlier in the night

Elijah looked at the Lieutenant, who surprisingly gave a conceding nod towards Gavin

“Something really fishy is going on,” the Lieutenant said “and the faster we find those two the better”

“Let’s go find Simon and Markus,” Elijah suggested, he’d never seen Gavin this upset, not only that but the Lieutenant was fully backing him up.

“For fucking what,” Gavin barked “you know this place or don’t you?”

“Mr. Kamski is right” Connor said “With both Simon and Markus we could split in three search groups, at the end it would be more efficient”

“Phck,” Gavin barked “Move it then!”

As they hurried with Elijah leading the way the house seemed to make sense for the first time in the night, he walked easily through the maze until he found Markus’ room, and after getting him up confusedly trying to communicate the fact that they had lost Tina and Leo, they soon got to Simon’s, where Connor tried to explain all the strange things that were afoot in a way that sounded at least nearing sane.

“By how you tell it one would think you are saying the house is haunted” Markus said, almost with a laugh “I have been here for weeks several times, the same goes for Elijah, I have never see anything like what you are talking about” Markus continued skeptically

Gavin felt his words were insultingly patronizing, why was this prick always so fucking irritating

“Let’s just find Tina and Leo” Elijah said, he wasn’t about to take sides on if the house was or wasn’t haunted and if Tina and Leo had been taken by the devil, or just gotten lost trying to find a first aid kid.

They split into the three groups Connor suggested; Markus and the Lieutenant, Elijah and Gavin, and finally Simon and Connor,

“Move it!” Gavin spat gruffly to his cousin, as each group took a separate hallway

“Shouldn’t we leave the dog in Simon’s bedroom” Markus suggested

“No go, son. Sumo is coming with us” Hank replied “There are demon dogs about”

“Lieutenant,” Markus said “I can assure you there aren’t –“

“The dog is coming, son” Hank said giving Markus a serious and stubborn look Markus had seen many times from his dad and knew it meant there wasn’t anything that he could possibly say that would change the Lieutenant’s mind

Markus and the Lieutenant moved slowly; Markus didn’t think there was anything to hurry so about, people got lost in the house all the time, guests and staff alike, the last housekeeper his dad had had, Kara, had never gotten her bearings and he’d had to let her go. It took a lot of time to get used to the layout, and it was true some bits of it could be dangerous, but not that dangerous when it came to sober adults, that’s why his dad kept the hallways lit in the night.

In turn, Hank was slow because Sumo kept leaning on to his legs, and stopping as he whined nervously, half barking now and then. In time they got to a locked door; Markus tried the handle unsuccessfully a few times, then turned around and picked another hallway only to come to a second obstacle of the same type

“This is odd,” Markus tried the handle a few more times “I’d never found locked doors before,”

“Everything about tonight is odd,” Hank said gruffly, patting Sumo’s back “Can you make out what… wing– what part of the house the locked doors are keeping us away from?”

Markus considered this for a moment, way too leisurely for Hank’s taste. He seemed to reach a conclusion that cheered him up

“Why, I think they are keeping us away from the conservatory” Markus said lightly “Dad must have asked Simon to lock them because of the storm, especially with a storm this strong, the conservatory may not be the safer place for guests, and guests unfamiliar with the house as well”

“I’d like to see this conservatory” Hank requested seriously “Any other way we can get there?”

“Hmm, Simon should have a master key” Markus replied “That would be the easiest way”

“Let’s go find him then” Hank said “Maybe it’s really nothing but I want to find those two as soon as possible”

They started on their way back, when Sumo stopped, sitting and stubbornly refusing to move again

“Oh, come on silly pup, are you going to make me carry you” The Lieutenant said pulling on Sumo’s collar gently, Sumo lied down with a sorrowful wine “Fine, fine, I’ll carry you”

While the Lieutenant busied himself with his dog, Markus thought he saw something move, it was someone walking past the corridor in a hurry, and he could have sworn it was– but that couldn’t be–

“Lead the way, son” The Lieutenant said, his voice muffled by his armful of dog 

Markus nodded, feeling much more uneasy than before.

Meanwhile in a similar if rougher fashion, Elijah and Gavin found the first obstacle on their way

“What the fuck is going on, Elijah!” Gavin said kicking the locked door that wouldn’t oblige, the wall, the door again, not minding the black smudges his boot left on the priceless, heavy oak that wouldn’t give in to one or two kicks, his toes however where being pulverized alright.

Elijah knew his cousin at least well enough to understand he wouldn’t ever forgive him (or forgive himself for that matter) if something happened to Tina, and weirdly enough, to Leo as well. Elijah hadn’t even known Gavin and Leo knew each other, and this was how he found out Leo Manfred had somehow made it into the very short list of people Gavin gave a damn about? Not the best of circumstances.

“I designed this house” Elijah said evenly

“Are you seriously fucking bragging right now” Gavin snarled “Nice funhouse, cousin! not my style.” Then his detective brain kicked in, “Wait, does that mean you have a fucking master key for this dump” Gavin rattled the door’s vintage silver door handle

“Yes”

“You do?”

“Well not a key exactly but..” Elijah kneeled down, running his fingers along the wooden panel, it clicked and the wall opened “I like to have an emergency exit in–”

“Shut up!” Gavin shoved Elijah aside, as if the dark secret passage would be any easier to navigate than the hallway “get a fucking move on, Elijah!!”

Gavin and Elijah moved through a mixture of the passageways that were the skeleton of the house, no longer slowed down by locked doors, although the turns and ups and downs were just as obnoxious, and it’s beautiful, warm halls. Every time they found an obstacle Elijah had a roundabout way to get past it, they were walking through one of those hidden passageways; smelling not unpleasantly of wood although spider infested when Gavin ran into Elijah’s back.

“What the fuck is the matter?” Gavin said, not politely

“I think there’s something there” Elijah said squinting in the dark, “Can you see it?”

Gavin forced his eyes to adjust, although there was little to adjust to when you were in complete darkness, but yes, he could see it, two small bright red dots, like the reflection on some animal’s eyes, only that he had no idea what light they could be reflecting.

“I’m going to fucking teach that thing –“ Gavin said trying to go past Elijah

“No you aren’t” Elijah said grabbing his cousin’s arm, holding him back “What are you going to do? Arm wrestle it?”

“If that’s what it takes!”

“Gavin!” Elijah pulled him back just as the red eyes and meaty breath surged towards them, Elijah grabbed his cousin’s arm and ran for it

“What the fuck are we doing” Gavin said,

“Getting out of here”

“Fucking let go of me!” Gavin snarled, his cousin had a surprisingly strong grip for a nerd “I’m not a fucking coward!”

“There’s being a coward and there’s being an idiot” Elijah admonished “Don’t be the latter, Gavin, we can’t even see what that is”

Elijah dragged Gavin through all the bends on the road, not an easy task as his pigheaded cousin put resistance still meaning to go and fight the beast that chased after them. Finally he got to the wall he was searching for, pushed one of the wood panels, his hands surprisingly sure and still for the situation, his fingers deftly found the mechanism and the two men spilled into the warm light of the hallway, to Markus and the Lieutenant staring eyes

“Where the hell did you come from?” the Lieutenant asked over Sumo’s angry barks

“Elijah has secret doors all about the damn place, like a creep–” Gavin explained

“Is this really the time, Gavin” Elijah complained

“We found something,” Gavin continued “the wolf things Leo was babbling about”

Markus looked at Elijah inquisitively

“I don’t know what that thing was, but it was big, and… sharp” Elijah explained “It would have torn you apart, Gavin!” he rebuked in response to his cousin’s resentful stare

“It could have tried” Gavin scoffed, 

“So it’s something that came into the house from the woods” Markus said still trying to find logic to all of it when the beast’s snout crashed through the wooden wall, making it crumble easily under its weight as if it were a cardboard wall in a doll house. The beast was set on not leaving his prey escape. It was just as Leo had described it, exactly like the ones guarding the main door. 

The beast sprang towards Gavin and it would have caught him if Sumo hadn’t gone for the thing’s neck in that instant, no demon pup was going to touch his humans, not even his unpleasantly cat-stinking, human adjacent.

Elijah hurried without hesitation into one of the nearby doors, emerging after a moment with a few fireplace tools. Gavin and Hank didn’t wait to be told what to do, each of them grabbed a poker and sunk it into the beasts neck, finding the unpleasant texture of it, like a weird mixture of flesh and stone.

Gavin didn’t stop to think, he took the poker and swung it in the air, letting it fall with all his strength through the middle of the beast. One, twice, thrice, while Sumo and Hank pinned its neck to the ground.

The thing collapsed as Gavin broke it into pieces, dust fell on the plush turkish carpets, and pieces of stone scattered around clicking on the wood floor, but looking uncomfortably fleshy and living. 

“Well, fucking good news, these fuckers can be killed” Gavin said “sorta…” he looked at the side of the hall where the head of the bear-wolf growled but couldn’t move. Gavin taunted it with the poker, the thing snarled angrily at him unable to reach him.

“Good dog, Sumo!” Hank said, patting his dogs head proudly “Hell! Will you stop that, Reed!”

“Humor him Lieutenant, for him it must be fascinating, like when parrots see themselves in a mirror” Elijah said, ignoring his cousin’s glare as he took one of the weird fleshy rock pieces to examine it in his hand.

“I need to check on my dad” Markus said suddenly looking seriously at the beheaded albeit quite lively beast’s head

“Let’s go, Elijah” Gavin nodded back towards the dark passageway they had come from

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to get separated” Markus said

“I agree” Elijah said firmly

“We have to find Simon too” Markus added

“Now you get it, now you want to find people!” Gavin boomed “You know what, whatever, I’m going on my own”

“Gavin, don’t be ridiculous” Elijah chided, “You’ll only walk in circles, that will help no one”

“We’ll go check on old Manfred, it’s not like he could outrun one of those things” Hank spoke up,

“But Simon –“ Markus started while Gavin growled about to complain

“Simon is with Connor and Leo is with Tina” Hank spoke up with the calm authority he rarely used but was always effective “I trust my two officers will keep them and themselves safe, but we do have to hurry in case they need back-up”

“Get a move on, then” Gavin barked at Markus “…prick” he muttered belligerently as he walked past him with a shove

It wasn’t long before their group reached Carl’s bedroom, Markus only bothered to knock once before he hurried inside.

“Dad?” Markus asked the empty bedroom

Carl’s empty wheelchair waited at the side of his unmade bed, Markus took the eiderdown off as if he couldn’t plainly see his dad wasn’t in it, he checked the big walk in closet, where Carl’s ample collection of clothing rested, beautiful garments most of which he’d never worn, nor were they meant to be at least not by him, they were another form of art to be judged and appreciated.

Markus walked towards the bathroom door, reaching out to grab the door handle, but just before his fingers touched it someone started to bang at the door from the other side, even harder than Gavin could have done.

“LET ME OUT!” A woman’s voice shouted “LET ME OUT!! I NEED TO GO BACK TO MY DAUGHTER, MY HUSBAND!!”

LET.

ME.

OUT.

She pointed each angry word with what sounded like a strong slam against the door while Markus looked at the door as if he couldn’t understand what was happening.

“This is the police,” Hank shouted back “we got you, ma’am!” he didn’t even wait to see if the door was locked, it obviously had to be, “Please stand back!” He shouted again bringing his fire-place shovel down to the door handle, effectively breaking it. Hank pushed the bathroom door open “Don’t worry, ma’am, you are safe. I’m Lieutenant Anderson with the –“ Hank trailed off

“What the fuck?” Gavin said coming in just behind him

The pretty bathroom was completely empty and pristine. No abducted women inside, only the antique porcelain bathtub, the priceless ornamental copper faucets.

“You heard all that, yeah?” Hank asked

“Sure did” Gavin said drily

“We all did, Lieutenant” Elijah said exchanging a mystified look with Markus

“Well, the fucking geezer isn’t here either” Gavin said trying to get back his bearings “Can we fucking go get Tina and Leo now?” he said going out of the old man’s bedroom not without shoving Markus a second time as we went by

“Gavin where do you even think you are going?” Elijah followed after his cousin “You need someone to guide you in here”

“Guide then! I’m not wasting more fucking time”

“We have to find Carl, he could be in danger!” Markus said giving one last look at his dad lonely wheelchair “Simon too”

“Take a number, prick!” Gavin spat back “I lost mine first!”

“We need a plan,” Markus insisted “We need to go over the house systematically”

“You know what, fuck you!” Gavin shoved Markus back, he was about done with his stuck-up incompetence.

Hank and Elijah knew this scene would soon degrade into a fight, which was only prevented by a door swinging open. Everyone jumped at it, a fact that was not humiliating only because every single one of them did.


	5. Chapter 5

Simon and Connor walked through the house, peacefully and unencumbered by anything, every door opened easily for them, every hall was comfortably lit; there were no shadows of people that shouldn’t be there.

Simon wringed his hands without noticing, he was doing what he’d been ordered to. Carl had told him to keep everyone as far away from the conservatory as possible. Simon had thought it reasonable, the conservatory was a bit dangerous with a storm like this, the house was always a bit dangerous for people who didn’t know it, but for a couple of weeks now certain things had been bothering him. Most of all that piece of paper he’d seen on Carl’s desk, a list of names that had meant absolutely nothing at the time, and now seemed weirdly and incongruently sinister. Amanda Stern, Kara Chapman, Chloe Stern, Leo.

Simon told himself it was silly, but with two people on the list missing… and then there was the incident in the studio…

“Connor…” Simon’s voice soft and unobtrusive, it always seemed to blend with the house 

“Yes, Simon”

Simon shook his head in a dismissive gesture and wringed his hands anxiously,

“Is there something the matter?” Connor said kindly

“I’m afraid I may have lied to you,” Simon started, saying it almost in one breath as if, if he didn’t get it out all at once he wouldn’t “remember last time you were here and asked if I had seen Amanda Stern” 

“Yes, of course”

“Well I’m not sure how to say it, I thought it had been a dream, but –” Simon hesitated, wringing his hands “a few weeks ago I thought I heard her, she sounded upset but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. This was after she’d been reported missing. Her shouts seemed to be coming out of Carl’s studio. Only he and I have a key and it’s always kept locked when he’s not painting, when I entered she wasn’t there, nobody was but everything was completely turned upside down, there was paint everywhere, everything that could be broken was, the piece Carl had been working on was completely destroyed”

“How did Mr. Manfred react to this?”

Simon gave him a wan smile “He was thoughtful, but not angry, he even suggested it could have been Leo, and I said it couldn’t be, although Leo does have a temper especially if he’s not… well… but even if he’d done it, how would he have gone out of there without me seeing him? Leo is not subtle when he’s angry, he’s never sneaky. One time, when he did try to steal a couple of Carl’s paintings, he turned on the lights of the studio”

Connor nodded “Yes, I’m told Leo is not known for his stealth”

“Exactly, even if he wanted to do that,” Simon continued “he wouldn’t be trying to hide, with him is like he wants you to catch him” Simon gave a small sad chuckle

There was a long silence while Connor considered this and waited to see if Simon was going to say anything more,

“May I ask a question, Simon?” Connor spoke up when Simon didn’t 

Simon nodded already looking somber

“The size of the house is quite substantial, I thought it was only a coincidence at first, but if my mental blueprint of the house is right, and I’m fairly sure it is at least for the section you took me over last week, you have been taking us farther from where Officer Chen and Leo Manfred were last seen,” Connor said evenly “It is my belief you are doing this on purpose, since my petition was exactly the opposite”

Simon wringed his hands again, his fingers even cracking at times, a clearly stressed gesture, while a frightened look distorted his features

“Simon,” Connor said kindly “You can tell me what is happening. Does it have to do with the conservatory?”

“I’m not – I’m not sure, but it may… how– how do you know?” 

“She told me, or at least I think she did, as illogical as that may seem, but today things don’t seem to work in the way I would usually expect”

“Who did?”

“Amanda Stern”

“You found her?” Simon said sounding immediately relieved 10 fold, Connor put his hand up immediately in a gesture that told Simon not to get his hopes up

“We have not, not yet, in fact I believe she won’t be alive once we do” Connor said “I have been reading her correspondence and diaries. She wrote her notes in a particular code personal to her; none of her students, colleagues, friends, not even her daughters could help me decode it.” Connor explained “When the strange incident occurred in our bedroom, I think characters of this code were smudged in the bathroom. One of the words was _‘Conservatory’_ that’s what I think they spelled out. Is there anything you can add to this, Simon?”

Simon crumbled then, letting himself be caught by one of the decorative victorian chairs, vaguely wondering where the others had gone, this was a set of six, Simon remembered particularly because Carl had won them in an auction and it had been a nightmare to transport them, but now there were only two left lining the walls. Simon put his head in his hands

“I didn’t know what to do, Connor” Simon said “I didn’t send Miss Chloe her invitation. I tried to turn Leo away, but at the same time…, I thought I was going crazy, I –“

“Simon, do you know where Leo and Tina may be right now?” Connor said softly “Are they in danger?” 

Simon see-sawed between his loyalties for only one second, after which he nodded still looking as haunted as he’d done before but his voice didn’t waver

“We have to hurry” he said, standing up and leading him with a certainty he hadn’t had before. They swung a door open and suddenly there were the others, jumping at their arrival as if they had seen a ghost. Connor may have smirked but there was no time for that.

The stench of death was what woke her up.

Tina found herself sat in a chair, ornate and delicate, just like everything in the house was; her wrists were tied to the arm rests and her shins to the legs of it. She was in the conservatory, for a moment she incoherently wondered if the rotting smell was only the manure for the plants, her shoulder felt like burning and wet at the same time. The storm was hitting the glass windows and ceiling like it would break them any minute and the wind howled like someone in an agonizing amount of pain.

All of this was alarming enough, and then her eyes focused on the scene before her.

Tina’s chair rested in what was the main attraction of the conservatory, a big, deep pond, more like a pool, that usually played beautifully with the light from the big windows, and always provided the sweet, calming sound of trickling water, but at the moment it was completely dry, (it made for a good hiding place for things you didn’t want anyone to find) her chair seemed to be bolted to the bottom, and she wasn’t alone, there were three more chairs around her, two forming a triangle with hers, and the last one in the center.

In the center one she saw Leo, tied up just like she was but unconscious and looking more dead than alive. He had a head wound that was bleeding profusely and one of his legs was messed up too, like something with a lot of sharp teeth had caught him by it… she thought she now had a pretty good idea of what her shoulder must be looking like.

She was an officer, she’d seen many a gruesome crime scene, nothing shocked her anymore, yet what she saw next may be the winner. In the other two chairs, there were two corpses, for they were clearly corpses, the smell of rooting flesh gathered at the back of her throat almost making her gag. She recognized them from the missing person posters at the station, even though their resemblance to themselves was already fading, especially Doctor Stern, who had been quite obviously dead for longer, her skin distended over her bones, and that was maybe a bit less grotesque than Kara’s state, she was puffy and didn’t quite look like a person anymore. Tina tried not to look at their faces, at their open mouths and the dark spaces behind their eyelids.

Because of their state of decomposition it would have been difficult to guess what had been the cause of death, but Tina hoped it wasn’t because of the big gash running through the middle of their torsos, their ribs were cracked open and what looked like their mummified hearts rested on their laps, they looked odd and muddy as if made of paper mache, and if she focused on them she could see, a small faint light, as if there was a firefly inside of each one. 

“Leo” Tina called out to him, “Leo, wake up. Leo!” He didn’t react, and she couldn’t see him breath but his heart was still inside him and that seemed to be a good sign

“HEY!!” She yelled so loud it hurt her throat “HEY IS ANYONE THERE!! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME!!”

She tried to slip out of the strong ties around her wrists, while an unpleasant shiver ran down her back, as if someone had just dropped a cockroach down the collar of her night shirt

“Leo!” she called out again, two minds were always better than one and she really needed to know she hadn’t failed so monumentally just yet

“It’s not very kindly of you to try to wake him up, my dear” a familiar voice said “it is better if he doesn’t quite realize what will happen to him, much more humane”

“Mr. Manfred” Tina said evenly, it wasn’t a question, it was a cold greeting. Since he wasn’t quite gasping in horror and coming to the rescue

Carl walked, for he was indeed walking, elegantly and with steps much lighter than his years, he was wearing a stylish suit that rather favored him, and looked imposing and important just like he always had in his youth.

“I promise I will be quick, my dear” he said walking towards her

“What is all of this?” Tina said, if for nothing else than to win herself some time, “You pretended all this time?”

“Oh no, no, that’s not it” Carl said

“But you are walking” Tina said “The papers said you would never do so again”

“Oh yes, the papers are always so interested in my comings and goings, always such a nuisance” Carl said amiably “They will get a shock, don’t you think? I’m flattered you seem to be so well informed about my career”

“Obviously a fucking waste of my time” Tina scoffed at him with angry eyes

“Now, now we were such good friends in the evening” Carl said kindly “I am sorry it has to be you, that wasn’t the plan, it was going to be lovely Chloe, she didn’t arrive but luckily you are here to be her substitute”

“Substitute for what?”

“Well the spell says I need a maiden” Carl said casually “You see, we got the crone, that’s our clever Amanda, then the mother, no one more quintessential than our sweet Kara, and now finally the maiden. I like that you are so feisty, it will give it a punch”

“The spell also says to crack their ribs open and take their hearts out?” Tina said accusatorily

“Oh no, you see I was having some problems with their… spirits… ghosts?” Carl explained “They have to be bound to the earth you see, so they can be used in the final stage of the spell, but they were being a little bit noisy, inconvenient, but the book had a solution, make a cage out of their hearts. Although these two seem to be just as high-strung as you are, dear, and they still manifest themselves in some ways, but not strong ones. You don’t have to worry though, I won’t desecrate you in the same way, there will be no need after all”

“And what will you do with Leo?” Tina asked, running out of questions

“Well, obviously I need a source for the years of youth and health I will be acquiring permanently. Oh, I know how you feel,” He answered to her look of angry disbelief “I didn’t think it would work either, and then it did.” Carl laughed good humouredly “There’s truly nothing more satisfying than proving those of the Hippocratic profession wrong, and you see, my dear, you have to complete the three parts of the spell for it to be permanent. To regain what was lost you must get a Mother a Maiden and a Crone, if one extra sacrifice is surrendered, you in turn get the youth they have. And in my son’s case the youth he so mindlessly wastes. Again, I’m so glad you came, it would have been so troublesome to have to start from scratch.”

“You did mess up the cars!” Tina said in sudden realization, now she definitely had to survive this to tell Gavin she’d been right!

“Well naturally, I couldn’t let you or Leo go” Carl affably explained “Especially you, I could always substitute Leo, but with whom? I wouldn’t take Markus or Elijah, they are so brilliant, they are doing such great things for the world, I guess I would have taken Simon, but that would have hurt Markus” Carl pondered this for a minute “ Yes that would have been quite a nasty affair, Simon would have been a loss. I’m glad it didn’t come to that, with the added advantage that Leo is my natural son, the spell does mention that makes it the most powerful, no downside to it.” Carl took his pocket watch out and consulted it with an elegant gesture “Let’s start, we are running late” he added just in the same light tone he’d used when he had showed her around the house in the evening.

Carl didn’t walk towards her, he walked to one side of the pond, rotating one of the discrete, delicate, art deco levers; water started to come into the pool, tickling slowly, making a lovely, almost musical sound

“That’s storm water, also excellent for the spell, storm water, in a full moon. When I’m done it will cover all of you, I’ll ask Simon to bring in some new fish, nobody will be the wiser” Carl said proudly

The floor to which the chairs were bolted to started to sink making the pool even deeper. Tina felt the cool water around her ankles. Carl walked towards her, an antique silver knife in his hand, Tina wiggled trying to get away but there was nowhere to go.

“I put the other two to sleep before, but I only one have one more dose of pentobarbitone, not easy to acquire, plus I think someone with so much fighting spirit as you wouldn’t quite like that, would you?” Carl said softly, slashing one of her wrists.

Tina gasped in surprise more than in pain, it all had been too fast for it to even hurt, her blood sprayed into the water

“You see” Carl explained calmly “I need the maidens blood to be spilled just where the crone and the mother’s were, for Leo it will be quieter” Carl said “The spell mentions the most peaceful the sacrifice goes, the most energy you get in exchange, I imagine it’s a bit like when they try to slaughter sheep with as less suffering as possible not to spoil the meat”

Carl walked around the conservatory, looking down at them in the pool now and then as if he were looking at a painting he was very satisfied with.

Thunder crackled, strongly enough to startle Leo awake. He struggled when he realized he was held on to the chair, there was water around his feet so cold it felt like tiny needles, he shook his head trying to get the blood running down from his head out of his eyes, and then he saw Tina

“Fuck, Tina!” He said wiggling just like she had, trying to get himself free “What the fuck, your arm! your shoulder!” then at his dad’s cold eyes looking calmly at them “Dad? What the fuck is going on!!” the little color he had drained as he glanced around at the two corpses. Leo retched and vomited into the water. 

“Lieutenant, Detective Reed” Connor said in hurried competence with Simon by his side looking somber but determined “We have reasons to believe both Officer Chen and Leo Manfred are being held captive in the conservatory”

“Held?” Markus said “That’s ridic–“ but he didn’t have the strength to finish that statement, after what he’d just seen, after catching the look of worry and guilt? Simon gave him; he only went to Simon and held his hand, his eyes silently asking if he was okay, Simon silent answer wasn’t encouraging. 

“Move it, then!” Gavin said not needing any further explanation, having not more patience or indeed sanity left.

Simon led them through the locked doors, it was when they had just walked through the third one, that they only had one second to see the twin of the mangled beast, all sneering teeth, and the smell of burning stone, before the lights flickered out.

There may have been a moment’s hesitation, even from Gavin and nobody would have thought lesser of him

“I believe it doesn’t want us to go any further” Elijah said “We can still get to the conservatory by the west corridor –”

But they turned only to see the third beast, the bigger one, in charge of guarding the door. 

“Fuck, there were only three of them, right?” Gavin said

“You are not suggesting these are the literal statues from the entrance” Markus said

“No, I’m not fucking suggesting it,” Gavin spat at him “There were three, yes or no!”

“Yes” Elijah replied “Three wolves, and the one dragon”

“Are you saying that damn fat lizard is also going to be walking around?” Hank asked

“Working from what I only vaguely know, I must theorize it to be possible” Elijah replied “They are supposed to guard the house, protect its owner”

“They are supposed to be ugly lumps of dirt, whatever,” Gavin snarled dismissively striding and brandishing his poker towards the thing, emboldened by having destroyed one before

The bear-wolf wasn’t to be cowered by some meager human with a metal stick, it caught it easily between its teeth with a thundering growl, it’s big body taking all the width of the hall and most of its height,

“I got the other one” The Lieutenant said taking one step towards it, while Gavin was still caught in his tug of war

Before Hank could step closer to the beast one of the lamps in the hall flickered on, with a soft, opaline, almost liquid light. The beasts didn’t like it, they stepped back from the dim silvery glow, like any wolf would from fire. The one holding on to Gavin’s weapon let go, as the clear crystal shade reflected symbols on the walls like a projector,

“Connor, aren’t those the weird symbols in Stern’s notes?” Hank said

“Yes, give me a minute, I’m trying to decode them” Connor said staring at the silver light dancing on the walls, Connor nodded, once, twice “_Conservatory. No roundabouts_. That’s what they say”

“As if that’s not what we are doing already,” Gavin scoffed

The lamp flickered in annoyance, the light dimming almost to nothing, the bear-wolves came so close they all could feel their stinky breath in their skin.

“Connor, grab that lamp,” Hank indicated “Gavin apologize to it!”

“I’m not fucking –“

The lamp dimed even more

“Fine, fine, sorry or whatever!” Gavin spat, he hadn’t finished saying when there was a shout however muffled by the walls that were between them

“CAN ANYONE HEAR ME!!”

“That’s Tina” Gavin mumbled, only holding on to his fireplace poker the firmer,

Connor held on to the lamp now back to its original brightness,

“The door with the stairs to the conservatory is only a few feet away, to the left” Markus indicated

“Move back, fucking brute” Gavin snarled, almost as strongly as the creatures growling back, one in front of them and one following behind, but both of them kept away from the silvery light.

In the conservatory Tina and Leo couldn’t really believe what they were seeing, as their blood mixed with the water (nevermind Leo’s puke) something seemed to happen to Carl.

It was almost imperceptible at first but his skin seemed to be gaining a healthy plumpness, little by little, the age spots on his hands and face were vanishing, the thin aged skin of his fingers was clearing up and regaining his elasticity. He looked at his hands pleased, they were already looking like the elegant hands of a much younger man, hands were after all an artist’s most treasured possession. He walked towards them.

“And this is nothing to what is to come.” He said taking a syringe full of liquid death out of his coat pocket, walking towards Leo “Don’t worry, son” Carl said kindly “It’s just going to sting for a moment, nothing you aren’t used to”

Leo didn’t even move, he wasn’t sure why, he didn’t know what he wanted to say. Why are you doing this? Sorry I wasn’t better? At least I’ll be useful to you now?? He felt stunned and really out of it as if in a dream.

“You have to reconsider” that was Tina’s voice “That’s your son!”

Carl looked at Leo then, with a softness Leo had never seen in his dad’s eyes before

“After all, I’m really glad I had you” Carl said finally, pulling Leo’s jumper sleeve up and getting the syringe in place. Leo told himself he had to move, he had to do something, this wasn’t only about himself, he had to help Tina as well.

As if replying to his thoughts a door slammed so strongly it sounded as if it were just over their heads. Carl hesitated, retiring the unused syringe away from Leo’s arm, taking his watch out to consult the time, he smiled “I better go check that out, I don’t want any interruptions when the really interesting part starts” He said walking away

Tina feared the noise had only been the wind but at least it had given them some time, she felt dizzier and dizzier by the second, the water around her raised slowly and it was taking an ugly, murky pink color as it mixed with her blood, she inconsequently wondered if the little light bug inside Amanda’s heart had drowned because it didn’t light up anymore. Leo worried her too, it was like he was in shock, she couldn’t really blame him.

“Leo, can you hear me?” She asked

“Yeah, I’m just… yeah” Leo said, sounding slightly dazed, but he had to focus, Tina was one of the few people that kinda liked him after all “Can you… get out?” 

“I’m trying,” Tina said, “You’d say with the water it would be easier to slip out but, I’m just getting really cold, it’s getting difficult to move”

“How are you holding up?”

“Not too shabby just yet” Tina said, thinking she had just said a blatant lie because as she involuntarily looked at Kara the light fluttering in her paper mache heart seemed to get out of it, sparkling like a little shooting star in the water.

“Leo…” Tina called out “Can you see that, that little… spark thing? If you can’t I take back what I said about not feeling too bad yet”

“I see it” Leo replied to Tina’s relief “What is it? It’s going towards you” he said alarmed, gallantly blowing air over the surface of the water, however uselessly, to try to save Tina from it.

The little shooting star flickered over Tina’s wrists, they felt like soft, careful woman’s hands untying her free, before she could think she was now actually losing it, the little flickering star dissolved but she felt her ties actually loosen as she pulled at them, at least the ones around her wrists had, only half to go

“You can’t come in here!” they hear Carl shout firmly “this is my private room in my home, where, should I remind you? All of you are mere guests in. Simon, I specifically ordered you to keep them away from the conservatory for tonight”

“I’m…” Simon said, but he couldn’t apologize

“Dad…” Markus voice said, bafflement obvious and painful in it “You are… walking”

“Carl,” Elijah said in an almost surprised tone that made him sound awkward “What… how… I took you to all those experts, they all said –”

“Where the fuck are they, fucking prune?!” Gavin’s shout interrupted “Tina! Leo!” 

“We are here!” Tina shouted back, sounding weirdly echo-y to herself, not knowing if the echo was made by the pool or by her own ears

“Tina is really hurt!” Leo added

“It’s only a scratch” she peeped to him

Gavin peeked down into the pool

“You don’t have authorization to –” Carl was saying

“What the fuck!” Gavin shouted “Anderson, we have two bodies in here!” 

Hank’s white whiskers peeked in after him

“What the –“

The lieutenant didn’t finish, the second bear-wolf finally caught up with them shoving Gavin into the water in his hurry to grab the Lieutenant dangerously by his neck, dragging him away.

“Fuck!” Gavin said spluttering water “FUCKING DAMMIT”

There were more confusing noises from outside the pool, windows breaking, some unearthly high pitched screeching, Sumo’s growling and barking as he valiantly bit at the creature who had taken Hank successfully managing for it to let go of his owner’s neck.

“Phck!” Gavin said walking in the water towards them, 

“Get Leo, Gav,” Tina said, “I’m almost out”

Gavin nodded towards her moving on to Leo,

“You okay, dumbass?”

“No…” Leo replied sounding out of breath

“’s fine, I got you”

Gavin only managed to get one of Leo’s hands free when a pair of leathery dark wings swooped down into the pool. The dragon dug its claws on Gavin’s shoulders and flew back up with him, only leaving behind a distorted yelp.

“Gavin!!” Tina and Leo called out

“What the shit was that?” Leo added, his voice trembling

Tina only shook her head, as she took a deep breath and sank into the pinkish water, struggling with the ties around her legs, finally managing to untie herself completely

“I’m out! I’m out!” Tina exclaimed,

“I’m good” Leo said, even though the water was going up at an alarming rate “Go help Gavin and the Lieutenant, I can get out of here on my own”

Tina hesitated

“I’m good” Leo insisted with an urgent nod pulling at his still caught hand’s binds with his free one

Tina went up the tiled pool steps, holding on to the silver art deco rail.

Gavin had been dropped unceremoniously just for one of the bear-wolf beasts to go after him, he’d only managed to turn on his back, the detective was bleeding and struggling to keep the teeth of the beast away, holding the snarling creature at arm’s length over him, both his arms trembling and threatening to give away under the pressure.

Then there was the Lieutenant, bleeding from his neck but he was keeping his assailant in check with a fireplace shovel, Sumo just next to him, growling courageously at it. Connor and Elijah were trying to spear the dragon down with whatever they could find, Connor latest instrument seemed to be a lamp which the dragon had no problem breaking using its tail as a whip before Connor could even attempt to throw it, while Markus and Simon were apparently trying to talk sense into Carl.

Tina looked wildly around her, gardening tools were as well as weapons, Tina had always been sure her mother could kill a man with only her gardening equipment, there had to be something to help her,

_“Over here!”_

Tina heard a woman’s voice say, although she couldn’t tell if she was imagining it

_“Over here!”_

The voice insisted, and Tina’s eyes searching for the source of the voice, fell on a medium sized spade, that was good enough for her.

She grabbed it and dashed towards Gavin, sinking the small, yet sharp spade into the thing’s neck, it was just the right shape to do damage to stone; the thing whined and stepped back from them.

“Tina!” Gavin shouted, throwing the much longer and sharper fireplace poker at her. She caught it in the air with beautiful momentum and sank it in the beast’s head, with the sickening, yet at this particular moment, satisfying sound of cracking bone. The head of the beast came apart, its red garnet marble-shaped eyes rolled away. Hank got the upper hand of his own beast in time, imitating the way he’d seen Gavin do it before, the crumbled pieces of them smelled strongly of hot coals. 

At seeing the two wolves in pieces Carl pushed Markus and Simon away and ran towards Tina brandishing his antique silver knife.

“You have to walk away from me, sir” Tina warned, but Carl was not deterred

“I’m afraid time is up, dear” He said “I mustn’t have cut deep enough, that is my mistake”

Disarming an old man was easy, at least if you didn’t have to watch out for strange flying things, and its sharp teeth and claws. The leather-winged thing harassing Connor came flying to Carl’s aid, sinking his claws on Tina’s already mangled shoulder

“Tina!” Leo said running out of the pool, trying to free her from the dragon’s grasp, enough of a distraction for Gavin to tear through its wings, the thing complained with a loud screech pushing both Tina and Leo to the ground as Gavin teared savagely at it, at his claws all of it much more fragile and delicate than the dogs had been, soon what was left of it wriggled on the floor like a dying earth worm

“Do you always have to be such a nuisance?” Carl said tiredly pulling Leo up by the collar of his wet jumper, with all the strength of a younger man.

Leo grimaced trying to keep his balance on his hurt feet, his gashed leg, he’d messed up even more coming up to try to be of some help.

“Dad” Markus said “This is enough, let him go”

“Markus, I never meant for you to be involved in this,” Carl said apologetically “you and Elijah don’t have anything to do with it”

“You involved, Simon!” Markus said accusingly “That’s as good as involving me!”

“As little as I could, but it was difficult to escape his watch completely, particularly at the start, but he didn’t quite know what was happening, and it would have kept so if half the police station hadn’t befallen us” Carl said “Can you imagine what I could do if I were young again, Markus? What we could do together? So much more than anything he does”

Leo didn’t say anything but he flinched as if he’d just been hit

“You taught me differently” Markus said, a sad tinge to his voice

“I taught you sometimes one has to make sacrifices for the greater good” Carl rebuked “And this is but a small one”

“Manfred” Said the commanding voice of Lieutenant Anderson “Let your son go,”

Carl glanced at where Gavin was, he kept his angry eyes on Carl, while he hurriedly made a tourniquet for Tina’s arm, her breathing was fast and shallow

“Dad?” Leo said, tentatively

“There’s still time” Carl said quietly

Connor and the Lieutenant rushed towards them, all they could possibly do without having their guns, but they couldn’t reach them before Carl, taking the syringe out of his pocket, sank the needle into the base of Leo’s neck. Leo grabbed for it, pulling it out, helped by the Lieutenant who yanked Carl back and away from him. At being let go Leo lost his balance hitting the ground.

“Carl Manfred, you are under arrest –” the Lieutenant said

“This is preposterous” Carl said over the Lieutenant’s voice

“– for the murders of Kara Chapman, Amanda Stern, and the attempted murders of officer Tina Chen and Leo Manfred, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law – ”

“Are you okay, Leo?” Simon said urgently, hurrying to kneel next to him “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know –“

“What the fuck was that?” Gavin spat pushing Simon aside, and running his fingers carefully over Leo’s collarbones trying to find a wound “You are okay, Leo.” he said it passing one of his hands through Leo’s hair, “You are alright”

“I don’t know,” Leo replied “I’m feeling kinda woozy” his eyes were unfocused as well “glad you are here, Gavin… even if you are a douchedick.. assface…” he trailed off “do you think dying will hurt…” Leo said to no one in a pensive, absent tone

“You aren’t dying, dumbass” Gavin said not sounding at all convinced

“Detective Reed is right” Connor said, walking up to them “The dose he got is not lethal,” he explained to Gavin and Simon “most of it is still in the syringe, but he’ll fall asleep –”

“I’m right here… you know…” Leo complained

“My apologies” Connor replied softly “You will fall asleep and probably have a very bad headache when you wake up”

“Are you sure, Connor?” Simon asked, as Gavin passed his hand through Leo’s hair

“Positive” Connor said with a firm, sure nod

“Be there when I wake up, okay?” Leo asked

“What am I? Your fucking butler?” Gavin spat back, but Leo had already slumped against him, breathing quietly and steadily against his chest.

When the cloudburst ended and the light of the morning sun streamed through the conservatory windows, what was left of the stone beasts crumbled just as if they were made of sand leaving nothing behind but the curious smell of sulfur and coal, but when the Lieutenant came back with the forensic team, the bodies of Kara Chapman and Amanda Stern were just where they had left them, as was the bloody syringe filled with lethal liquid. It was enough evidence for their case, plus Simon’s testimony of things he had only half seen and not comprehended in time, but that proved to be more than real now, and the papers did get a shock once they heard what Carl Manfred had been up to in the last month.

The next day Lieutenant Anderson had the sorrowful task of letting two families know their loved ones weren’t coming back home, he hadn’t slept, he looked like garbage, but it couldn’t wait and who else was going to do it? Perkins? That jerk had the tact of an industrial hammer.

That night little, opaline, almost liquid lights could be seen outside the Chapman residence as well as the Stern one, not that anyone noticed them until much, much later. Lights, just like curious light bugs, that appeared particularly when there was a joyful event in the house, they were there when Elijah and Chloe founded their automation and mechanics company, they would be there for the distant days of Alice’s graduation, her wedding, and they were there for every funeral, of course, it had been a very long time no see after all.

“Go fish!” Leo said with a grin, sitting at Gavin’s kitchen table, a very fat orange cat on his lap tried to steal bread from his plate now and then

“I refuse to keep playing this stupid game,” Gavin said “… Any sevens”

“What would you rather play?” Tina asked handing Gavin two cards

“… that’s okay,” Gavin said placing a group of his cards aside

“You only want to keep playing because you are winning now” Leo laughed

“Is this or trying to explain Rummy to you again,” Gavin scoffed “I’m not fucking trying a second time, what a fucking nightmare”

“I’ll get it eventually!” Leo said unfazed

“You can play as a team when the Lieutenant and Connor arrive” Elijah suggested

“Are you kidding me?! This fool has awful tells,” Gavin complained

“And you love me anyway!” Leo said airily

“Yeah, whatever,” Gavin scoffed “you can play with Anderson, he lives to explain people stuff”

“What about Simon” Tina asked “Have you heard from him?”

Leo smiled “Yeah, but I don’t think he and Markus have plans to come back from Europe any time soon”

“That’s for the better,” Gavin commented sourly “We don’t need more pricks around, I’m shocked you left the Villa to come join us, Cousin.” Gavin added apropos of pricks

“A card game is always stimulating” Elijah said “Good for the brain, and we are starting a new project so I may not have that much time to socialize the next few months”

“You’ll overwork yourself to death,” Gavin grumbled “and that girl of yours only enables you –”

“You are the one to talk” Elijah said accusingly “as if Leo doesn’t enable you in every way” 

Leo and Tina exchanged a chummy smirk as the bell rang cheerfully,

“You two really spoil my cousin rotten” Elijah accused drily “That’s why he goes around like that”

“He’d go around like that, with or without us” Tina argued

Gavin got up complaining as ever, opening the door for Connor and the Lieutenant

“I didn’t invite your dog, Anderson!”

“The dog is coming, son” Hank said “He is a hero, he saved your life!”

“I don’t give a fuck, if he harasses my cats he can’t come in”

“He won’t” Hank said “Right, Sumo. You’ll be delicate with Gavin’s precious little feather dusters”

Connor, Hank and Sumo came inside, Sumo settled in the living room floor in happy laziness with a huff, just under the place where Gavin’s oldest cat, cricket, kept snoring peacefully, completely unperturbed by the giant now underfoot.

Connor and Hank sat at the table having a drink while Gavin shuffled the deck, and his grey cat jumped on Tina’s lap to advice her on the big game of the night, the games were so much more crowded now, so many more possibilities.

They set on their game, as they had done every Friday night for a few months now, all of them waiting patiently for the adequate moment, when there was enough distance between them and the facts, so they could discuss the strange things they had seen that one night, but meanwhile they played cards, with Gavin’s cats always running around, chasing little, silvery specks of light.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading this story, lads! ( •ω•ฅ) happy season of spooks ∑(;ﾟдﾟ) [[also on the blue hell](https://getoutofthewater.tumblr.com/post/188303387756/detroit-become-human-fanfic-cloudburst-rating)]


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